Freed Brits Are Home

Iran has released Britain's sailors.

Thank you for your prayers. With every prayer you sent a stream of God's Light to them.

In gratitude, please say a prayer of blessing and thanks for Iran, her people and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. No, Iran is not perfect, which is all the more reason to ask for blessings on her behalf.

Sadly, Tony Blair is giving Iran no credit nor apology. He is neither expressing gratitude to Iran or to those who prayed for the sailors' release.

Instead, Tony Blair is crowing that Great Britain gave nothing - no concession, no money and not even an apology - in exchange for their return. Worse, he is launching a new, antagonistic posture by alluding that Iran is supporting terrorism in Iraq.

Beloveds, this is no way to thank Iran - or God - for such a gift and blessing.

Mr. Blair has shown his true, ungrateful nature, that same unhelpful nature that helped President Bush create the War in Iraq.

Simply put, he would have loved to invade Iran, but it was untenable. A hypocrite, he, obviously, was speaking false words of concession to Iran while his ego was smarting over being unable to do anything about his sailors.

Now he appears to want revenge, even if it's a petty, name-calling kind. Because the sailors spoke so well of their captors, I suspect that Blair's desire for revenge is boiling over within him.

Can it be any clearer that this war was started by men full of arrogance and blind self-importance? Men who think that "might makes right" and are too blind to see the obscenity of misusing the might at their fingertips? Men whose wealth and power tend to dissolve their inhibitions, deactivate their empathy and make them act recklessly.

Blair seems incapable of accepting an olive branch when it is handed to him. How tragic that he is not embracing this as an opportunity to stop his sabre rattling against Iran.

The lesson for the people of Great Britain - and the lesson for Americans, 80% of whom say we are Christians - is this:

Will you follow the non-violent teachings of Jesus Christ? Will you practice gratitude and humility? Will you reach out a hand in peace? Will you take the opportunity God has arranged for you? Or will you slap God's hand away because he is working through a man whom your leaders have told you is your enemy?

When military might is your idol and you embrace it as a replacement for faith in the power of God's Love to work miracles, things can only go from bad to worse, as they have in Iraq.

Please, pray for Iran, her people and president.

Please pray for those British soldiers, that they are not accused of being traitors for responding as human beings, not puppets.

Please pray for the people of Great Britain, that they bring in more enlightened leadership.

And please pray for Tony Blair. Ask that his foolish, hardened heart is awakened to the tragedy into which he has led his people - and would lead them further - through unnecessary hostility and war.

We must realize, Beloveds, that what is being played out on the world stage is a reflection of the little dramas that go on, daily, in our own lives.

We each have these same choices to make every day, in terms of whether to nurture petty hurts or forgive a stranger, neighbor or a relative.

Are we, too, incapable of recognizing a gesture of reconciliation? Do we refuse to to be grateful, and choose spite, instead? Where is it that we are choosing to shut our hearts down, rather than opening them?

This entire drama gives us the opportunity to ask the same questions of ourselves, that we would pose to Tony Blair.

Beloveds, when the people of Britain decide the world is too small to nurture resentments and start wars of aggression, they will have a new leader who leads them in peaceful ways.

Likewise, when we in the U.S. decide our hearts are more important than our egos, and that our souls are more important than being able to crow about some imagined moral superiority, we will be incapable of electing a radical hawk like George Bush.

Yet, to see the change you want, you must begin with yourself. So pray for Bush and Blair and, even as you work to reverse the policies they have put into motion, forgive them. Realize that they are giving you an opportunity to live consciously, and to choose between faith and fear.

Perhaps, more importantly, will you forgive that guy who cut you off on the highway and made you feel afraid or stupid? Or do you refuse?

Your answer will determine the state of the world.

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Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21,22