Like many Americans above a certain age, I can recall with near perfect clarity where I was when I first learned about the terror attacks that hit our nation twenty-four years ago. What would transpire in the years that followed have impacted all of us in various ways, from something as minor as safety protocols when we travel or the impact on national spending, to the sacrifices experienced by those who subsequently put on uniforms and paid the ultimate price in service to our country. In many ways, how we perceive those horrific events depends upon the way that our lives have changed in the intervening years. For me personally, there have been two major changes in my life that have shaped how I view the events of that day. As a disclaimer, neither change was brought about by 9/11, but they have given me a different set of experiences through which to view that day.
The first major change was becoming a volunteer fire fighter. My local station is staffed with seasoned fire service veterans who have seen their share of destruction, and I have benefitted from working alongside them, learning from them, and growing in my understanding of what it takes to do this job well. There’s an adage that simply states, “Risk a lot to save a lot.” Put another way, if you have the chance to save a life, you put your own life on the line. It is an expression of selflessness that led to the deaths of 343 firefighters on that day as they sought to extinguish the flames and save those who were still trapped in the buildings.
In my nearly twenty years of serving as a volunteer, I have learned that putting others first can cause you to go to places where you never would have gone if you were thinking only about yourself, and sometimes that means that you are exactly where you need to be to make a tremendous difference. Sometimes. Unfortunately, sometimes it means that you will pay a tremendous price. History will capture the ultimate result, but in the moment, you simply try to make the right choice based upon the chances of affecting a positive outcome for those who need help. The first responders who lost their lives that fateful morning were doing what they believed was right, putting the lives of others before their own, saving some, while trying to save many more. They understood that some things are worth dying for.
The second major change was becoming a pastor, now responsible for overseeing a congregation and reaching out to those who are not yet worshipping with us. Christians depend on the truth of God’s Word, the Bible, and one thing that is very clear in the Bible is that there will come a day when all will come before Jesus for a final judgement. Unfortunately, it is human nature to believe that we have plenty of time to live our lives however we wish before worrying about “getting right with God.” There’s an understanding that how we tend to live our lives is contrary to how God wants us to behave, and we want to do things our way for as long as possible, and then slide into God’s good graces at the last moment.
When I look back on September 11, 2001, I can’t help but think that among the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives on that day, many had woken up that morning fully expecting to return home that evening and continue on with their lives. How many of them had figured that they had years before they had to take the truths of the Bible seriously? Now as a pastor, I need to continually convey a sense of urgency where others see complacency, highlighting those events that prove that tomorrow is promised to no one. It may not be a terror attack, but it might be a heart attack or a car accident or any number of other events that can unexpectedly end a life, and once life ends, there is no way to affect what happens next.
Friends, I urge all of you to reflect upon the events of 9/11, but particularly consider a love for mankind that manifests itself in a willingness to put the lives of others above themselves, leading to an ultimate sacrifice. Then consider that Jesus sacrificed himself for you, so that you might be saved. Finally, consider what your destiny looks like if you never made it back home tonight. We are urged to never forget the events of that day. Perhaps this will help you to put it all into a more personalized perspective.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron