Gadhafi and the Cross
This last week in Rome on a historic trip, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi wore an archive photo provocatively pinned to his chest, showing the arrest of an anti-Italy guerrilla fighter. The image was of Omar Mukhtar's 1931 arrest at the hands of colonial Italian troops.
Gadhafi said that the photo symbolized the tragedy of Italy's 1911-1941 occupation in the same way Christians wear a cross to mark the tragedy of Christ's death. He said, "It is a tragedy symboloized by the cross, and this is a tragedy symbolized by the photo."
What struck me about this story was what he said about Christians. I don't know about you, but I don't wear it to grieve the death of Jesus on the cross, but to celebrate that He is no longer on that cross, but is risen from the grave. I wear a cross to symbolize VICTORY! To me it symbolizes that Christ is no longer on the cross, or in the grave. Jesus conquered them both. Jesus demenstrated to us all that the cross, nor the grave have power over us. The cross represents life, not death; victory, and not defeat. It symbolizes the fact that I am more than a conqueror, because of what Christ Jesus did for me, and even for Gadhafi.
It is sad, even a shame, that the world does not know what we as Christians really stand for. We are not rallying around a man who died more than 2000 years ago, but we stand to represent, and celebrate a risen Christ who lives in each one of us today!
I appreciate his concern for his cause, but I am sad that the world thinks we Christians walk around in sadness wearing our sad crosses. I wear mine because I know that my redeemer lives. Whether you believe, or not ,Christ is! Men, and women like Gadhafi, and myself will come, and go, but Christ lives yesterday, today, and forever!!!
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