Ronnie Smith, from Austin Stone Church in Texas, was gunned down in Benghazi, Libya a week ago while on a run. Ronnie is a martyr for the Kingdom of God.
Many of us desire to be generous toward Muslims, and toward the cultures where Islam has grown and developed over many generations. Recently I returned from North Africa, and I want to be respectful and honoring of the peoples and cultures of that land.
Many of us also want to stand up for justice, and to speak against oppression. We believe the Palestinians should be given equal opportunity to live peacefully as Israelis do. We advocate for the homeless and under-privileged.
We must also speak to the tragedy of a Christian who was gunned down by militants in Libya. Ronnie Smith went to Libya with his wife and son to teach at an international school. We was seeking the shalom of that war-torn land.
Any and every religious, political, or social system which forbids certain beliefs must be called out. The voice of Jesus incarnate here and now is for justice and protection for all. It is never acceptable for minorities in a country to be persecuted and killed. If a country is Islamic by orientation we must ask whether or not their ideology allows for minority expressions, and if there will be protection for these minorities.
I want to ask my friends who are following Jesus to find our voice in advocating for justice for all peoples, as passionately for one as for the other.
May God give enormous grace to Anita Smith and her young son in the days ahead.
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