REMEMBERING SEPTEMBER ELEVENTH
- Kasule Jacob
- Sep 9, 2020
- 4 min read
It has been nineteen (19) years since the September eleventh attack on America’s world trade center. The four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda against the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 left at least 25,000 people with injuries with a recorded death of 2,996 people.
As we remember this fateful event when the world stopped turning, as we celebrate the lives of friends and loved ones whose lives were unjustly taken in these heartless attacks, let us take time to reflect upon our own lives.
We have always been afraid of foreign threats, often spoken about it; but we have somehow drifted away from that fear. Maybe the fear still lingers at the back of our minds but who cares? Why should we be afraid of foreign attacks when we have brought the threats home? And we are the threats. We have become so consumed with our internal fights among ourselves that we have forgotten what it means to live like brothers. We have allowed the feeling of solidarity that bound us together fly by the winds of hatred and selfishness.
The greatest threat to peace and unity mankind faces is man's evil and selfish heart.
As scripture puts it, “but if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:15). Unfortunately, we have not heeded to this warning in every way possible because we are doing the opposite, we are biting and devouring each other. Many people do not see eye to eye with their neighbors, many have forgotten what it feels like to live in peace and quietness because they are always picking a fight and quarrel with someone.
Let us remember we are fighting a losing battle, it’s a losing battle because we are fighting against ourselves. Jesus once said, “A house that is divided against itself, that house will not stand” (Mark 3:25). Yet this is exactly what we are doing. We are divided into so many fractions that it is only the grace of God that can put back the pieces together. People are so bent on fighting even when there is no cause. We have been fighting each other for so long that other people do not even know why they are fighting.
Why do you continue fighting a war when its with yourself?
I know for a fact that we will never make this world a better place by fighting each other. We cannot develop into what we aspire to be if we are not willing to work together. If we still see it as this color against that color, this tribe against that tribe, the ruling party against the none ruling party, the law enforcement team against the none law enforcers then we have failed to understand the purpose for why God uniquely equipped each of us differently. Mike Bolton sang, “It won’t be long till am going to need some body to lean on.” He then concludes in his chorus, “we all need some body to lean on.” How true these words are; if only we were willing to open our hearts to this reality. We all need some body to lean on.
As we commemorate this day I want us to pose for a moment; close your eyes and imagine a world with everyone gone except you, would you want to live in such a world? I hope not! Let us remember what we felt on 9/11. Remember the sight of survivors rising from the rubbles and how that made you feel; remember the unity the world had irrespective of the people’s skin color, race, political affiliation, or financial status. Remember how it felt after speaking to your neighbors in years; remember the feeling you had holding hands with some strangers on the street and it was okay. Those who have young children, help them know these things by telling them the story.
"Heal the world and make it a better place for you and for me and the entire universe" -Michael Jackson.
If there is any lesson I have learnt from the attack that posed the world is that it is possible for humanity to be united. I have learnt that we all can work together and still be happy. I have learnt that we have an origin connected by a common bond, the color of blood that flows through our veins. Let us not wait for a tragedy to strike in order for us to stop fighting among ourselves. Let us not wait for something bad to happen for us to stand in unity, leaning on each other’s shoulders. Let us learn from history and heal the world so that it is a better place.
May this day mark a new beginning in your life. May you decide this day in memory of all the people you have lost along the way that there will be no more violence as far as it depends on you. Decide this day that you will not be numbered among the people practicing racial prejudice. Let this day bring a new hope, hope of a new day, hope of a better tomorrow; a tomorrow where everyone is equal; a tomorrow where everyone is judged and evaluated not for who they are or what they are, but for what they have done.
"If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" - Romans 12:18
Kasule Jacob (MTS) is the founder of Galactic Foundation Ministries in Uganda. He holds a Master of Theological Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA. He is a Bible teacher with East African Outreach Pastor Training Center and an Adjunct lecturer of New Testament Greek, Church History, Hermeneutics, Bible & Family and Quasi Christian Religions at Uganda Baptist Seminary.
Comments