The lesson I learned from 9/11

Do you remember where you were six years ago today?

There are a number of historic events throughout my lifetime that are etched into my memory.On the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated I was at my grandparents house, sick from school (maybe sick of school too). Lying on their living room floor, watching whatever black and white TV show was on at the time, I remember a special news report breaking into the program. For some reason I figured it was important, so I went and told my grandmother the president had been shot. It caused her to stop ironing.

The next significant event I remember was Neal Armstrong's first steps on the moon. I was laying on my parents bed with my brother, sisters, and parents watching the old portable Philco TV. The words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," came crackling over the airwaves.

At eighteen, and ripe for the military draft, I remember sitting in my car listening to the radio when I heard Henry Kissinger declare, "Peace is at hand" in Vietnam. This declaration, combined with my draft number of 282, pretty much assured me that I would not be drafted into military service. At the time, I was enjoying too much of a reprobate lifestyle to want it interrupted by having to leave town for any reason.

I just came off a golf course in Western North Carolina, got into my car with three other men, turned on the radio, when I heard the report that President Ronald Reagan had been shot.

Riding in my 1984 Jeep CJ (which I still own), coming home from work, I had to pull over to the side of the road as I began weeping when the radio reported that the first Gulf War had begun with the "Shock & Awe" bombing of Iraq.

Six years ago today, I was returning from Dunkin' Donuts when I pulled into the parking lot of our old church building and was told by a friend that an airplane had hit the World Trade Center.

Events prior to 9/11 for which I can recall the place I heard about them were historically significant, but none would have as big an impact on me personally as the heinous actions of 19 Islamic terrorists against our great republic that bright, sunny morning in Manhattan. The senseless murder of the 2,973 Americans and other nationals that day changed my daily focus. While I understood that evil existed in the world, and I knew that many of the terrorist acts previously committed against the US around the world confirmed the evil in men’s hearts, I never sensed that it would have any impact on my day to day life.

9/11 did not leave me with a hatred for Islam or the terrorists who were involved in carrying out the murderous events of that day, even though my first thoughts were in that very direction. But I serve a mighty God Who loves me and used this tragedy to remind me that He so loves the world...even those who are Islamic terrorists...that He gave His only Son, that whoever would believe in Him (Jesus) would never die, but have eternal life.

The lesson for 9/11 that has stuck with me these past six years, is that I need to tell people about Jesus, because only He can transform an evil heart to do good. As I live to complete this task, I will never forget that it took such a significant event to bring home the simplistic truth of the Great Commission Christ gave to me, and to narrow my focus onto what I would do with this truth. If I want to see a world transformed by the gospel, I cannot sit around waiting for someone else to be the one who is willing to tell others about Jesus. Whatever the cost, wherever it may take me, whenever I must go, the most important thing for me to do is be a witness to others about the transforming gospel - the good news - of Jesus Christ.

This is the lesson I learned from 9/11.