By Tony Campolo, Let Me Tell You a Story, copyright 2000, pages 89-90.
The story is told of a young lieutenant in World War II whose unit was ambushed by Nazi soldiers. Almost all of them escaped from the flying bullets by running into an old farmhouse. However, out of the darkness came the moans and groans of one of the men who had been severely wounded. The young lieutenant did the heroic thing. He crawled out into the night, grabbed the young recruit, and dragged him to the safety of the farmhouse. He saved the man, but even as he himself was going through the door to safety, he was struck by a bullet to his head and killed instantly.
A year or so later the young man for whom the lieutenant had heroically given his life was back in the States. The parents of the dead hero asked to meet him. On the appointed night, the soldier came to meet the mother and father of the man who had died for him. But when he arrived at the house where they lived, it was obvious to the parents of the dead hero that he was drunk.
They sat at dinner and tried to make conversation, but the man was loud and at times, obscene. Toward the end of the meal he vomited. The parents did the best they could do to make their way through a horrendous evening of suffering.
When the young soldier left, and they closed the door behind him, the mother of the dead hero slumped against the wall and moaned, “To think that our precious son had to die for somebody like that.”
I’m sure that when the angels in heaven look upon the behavior of the likes of someone like me, they must say to one another, “To think that God’s precious Son had to die for somebody like that.” I owe Him better. He gave His life for me and I should be ready and willing to do what He would do if He was in my place.
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John 15:13 — Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Romans 5:6-10 — You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
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Guide the rulers of all nations, so that they may lead their land and their people in righteousness and peace. Enlighten all who are in authority and move them to do what is right. Grant blessed unity and peace among all nations. Preserve us from all strife, hatred, and warfare, so that we may eat our daily bread in peace. Amen.
–Martin Luther