Photos make the world round

Is it just me or does capturing a moment in time seem like such an amazing thing?

I love seeing the very different ways people can take a stationary object in time and with one snap of a button change the way the whole world views that object. I know this might sound like crazy talk to some, but I think photography is one of the most amazing things. People love to remember things. People love to remember places. People love to remember events. Is there a better way to do that them by snapping and image that you can keep forever. It is like taking something that is more liquid then water, time, and making it last forever, you are transforming that moment in time into a solid tangible object that someone can hold onto for the rest of their life. This is just the thoughts going through my head right now. 

Osama Bin Laden and The Apostle Paul

With all the events going on in that world I thought I might throw my point of view into the mix. As most of the 13 of you that know about my blog know already, Bin Laden is dead. What does this mean to America? We saw as the news broke on tv the hundreds of people who flocked to the gates of the White House chanting, "USA USA USA", it seemed to be such a patriotic and exciting thing to do. As my eyes were glued to the tv and from that day on to the computer screen to see any new developments, my heart began to wonder what this all meant. I am an American. I love my country. Anyone who knows me knows I love knowing all about politics. My wife tells me all the time that I should have majored in political science because I am very passionate in it. But on this issue I was very conflicted inside. I wanted to be very excited that we brought to justice the man who changed this country, and not in a good way. Bin Ladens effects on this country will always be brought back to life every time I have to take my flip flops off to get on an air plane, or some little old grandmother gets a "random search" standing in line. Yes I do believe that Bin Laden changed this country, and I should be very excited that he was finally brought to justice. But something changed my though on this issue completely. I was sitting at my desk at when one of my coworkers leaned over and said, "Can you imagine if he would have became a Christian and professed it on that world over there?" When he said that to me it clicked in my mind and heart. This is the outcome we should be wishing for every person who has attacked people in the west because they worship Christ. God really opened my eyes to people who are professing to be believers, but they are celebrating the death of a man who now will forever be separated from his creator. The only person that came to my mind that is most like Osama is the Apostle Paul.

You might ask how I could be so bold as to compare such a bad man to one of the "holy men" of the Bible, but remember that Paul was a person just like you and me. In fact I think if you knew Paul, most of the Christians in the west would think they are better then him because he is not perfect and everyone knew that. Paul was known for persecuting Christians. Christians in the west do not know what that means, I dont know what that means. But the rest of the world knows this means he was KILLING Christians. Paul himself made very clear statements about this (Gal 1:13, 1Cor 15:9,Acts 9:1-2, Acts 8: 1-5). Bin Laden is know as a religious leader, much like Paul was to the Jewish community. Paul thought what he was doing was what God wanted him to do, until he had an encounter with Christ on a road to Damascus. Do you really think if Paul, well Saul was his name at this time but, was a live today and starting his persecution of the church that it would really be much different then what is going on in the Middle East? The answer from most honest people is no. You see the only real difference between Paul of the Bible and Bin Laden is Paul had an encounter with Christ that changed his life. I listen to a lot of talk radio. I listen to men who say they are believers (Christians), and they are gloating of this killing and it breaks my heart now. Bin Laden was a bad man, that is the truth, but he was a man that needed more then dead, to have an encounter with the living God. Every person who clams Christ needs to take a good hard look and see where their heart is on this issue. I am not saying that justice should not have happened. I am just saying that more then having a man shot in the face and dumped into the ocean, we should be looking for a transformation and a brokenness that will turn even that worst people to a loving God. Can you just think of the impact that this one man who is now dead would have had if he came out to the world and said Christ changed me and he can change you too. That is our main goal as believers in Christ. I hope this post has challenged your way of thought. I hope by telling a little bit of my heart about this issue that God can show you some areas that he wants to work on you. I am a huge work in progress and I fall short every day, but the same God that changed Paul wants to invade your life too. He wants to rock you world as well as the whole world. Love God. Love People. That is what we are called to do. Even people who are killers. Feel free to leave comments on this page. I have not proof read this so I hope it all makes sense, and I am sure I have misspelled something. LGLP