Perhaps the most dramatic rescue mission of WW2 is one you've never heard of. Towards the second half of the war, American bombers were sent over Southern Europe to cripple the oil production of the Nazi war machine. Flak from the German anti-aircraft guns cut through most of the American planes forcing many of the airmen to bail. As the crews parachuted down, many expected to be captured or killed.
To their surprise, a rescue mission was already underway on the ground beneath them. Serbian freedom fighters watched the canopies of the parachutes open and followed their downward path. They were sent on a mission to retrieve the airmen before the Nazis could find and capture them. As the Serbian teams reached them, the airmen were safe but still on enemy soil - the rescue had only begun.
The rescue, known officially as Operation Halyard includes a secret landing strip for a clandestine evacuation involving C-47s. More than 500 airmen, all of those rescued by the team of Serbian peasants were saved.
Before the C-47s, the airmen spent weeks following their rescuers through unfamiliar territory. Not only were the airmen unfamiliar with where to go, but they were also challenged to overcome the difficulty of the language barrier. The airmen were saved, but they still had to walk to freedom.
Through this story, we learn something of the Christian life. We have been saved to walk, saved to follow Christ. In that following, we experience the way, the truth, and the life. In recent days many millions have been exposed to a confused version of Christianity. A recent exchange on ABCs the Bachelorette brought the issue of ethics and following Christ to the viewer's attention.
In full disclosure, I have not seen the show. I did watch the exchange via Twitter but am not aware of the full context surrounding these comments. Since I do not know these contestants, I will not speak as one who does. The Bachelorette's comments could mean the opposite of my interpretation. I do not know. What I do know is the way ABC spun the exchange. My commentary flows from that vantage point.
As one of the shows eligible bachelors confronts the Bachelorette about sexual ethics, the Bachelorette announced, "I have had sex . . . and Jesus still loves me." Keep in mind what is not in view, is the distant past. King David prayed Lord do not remember the sins of my youth, a prayer that represents a repentant attitude of a Christ follower met with an assurance that God removes our sin as far as the east is from the west. (Psalms 25:7; 103:12). The contestant interpreted the tone of the admission of the Bachlorette as an admission to a recent sexual encounter with another contestant on the show. If this is the case, the Bachelorette's comments about Jesus forgiving are distressing.
Repentance, which is necessary to follow Jesus, is both a turning away AND a turning towards something. As my missions prof taught, a disciple of Jesus is one who is irrevocable embarked on the Jesus way. We cannot be embarked on the Jesus way while misinterpreting the kindness of God that is intended to lead us to repentance. Such a version of grace is cheap and does not count the cost of walking with Jesus.
In the words of A.W. Tozer,
Few sights are more depressing than that of a professed Christian defending his supposed rights and bitterly resisting any attempt to violate them. Such a Christian has never accepted the way of the cross. The sweet graces of meekness and humility are unknown to him. He grows every day harder and more acrimonious as he defends his reputation, his rights, his ministry, against his imagined foes.
May God defend us from using his name to protect actions that do not align with what it means to follow him.