1,000 Days and Counting
It has now been more than 1,000 days since Russian troops invaded Ukraine at the behest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. injured as a result of the ensuing war, and the fighting continues to wage.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S. long-range missiles to strike targets deeper into Russia. This authorization has long been a request from the Ukrainian government and marks a reversal of President Biden’s previous denial of such requests.
Analysis and eternal perspective: Putin’s goal is compassion fatigue. No matter how horrific his actions or the suffering of those within range of his violent invasion, Putin is counting on the nearly-universal reality that we as human beings typically have a limited bandwidth we are willing to devote to ongoing suffering. He is counting on the fact that, though the suffering he is inflicting continues (his own people are dying at an alarming rate as he sends waves of troops into battle), the world’s willingness to stand athwart him will wane.
As Jesus followers, it is likely we have a wide range of views about whether and how the international community should intervene in the ongoing war. But even amid those wide-ranging opinions, we should stand unified in this: Our voice, our influence, and our actions should contribute to the defense of the oppressed (Is. 1:17).
This feels like an impossible mandate, but consider that God offers a clear delineation between defending the oppressed (your responsibility) and achieving vengeance (His responsibility according to Romans 12:19).
There will come a day when all will be made right for all of eternity. It can be impossible to understand why there is a delay in this justice, and yet you and I are called to remain faithful to that which is clearly charged to us:
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” (Is. 1:17).
The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.