Martyred medical missionaries were not fools

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose."

Those are the words of Jim Elliot, a missionary who was shot and killed by the Auca Indians of Ecuador while trying to share the truth of Christ with them. 

On Friday, ten medical workers most of them Christian, who had felt the call of God on their lives to serve the people of Afghanistan, were also shot and killed by those they were trying to serve. See Medical Missionaries killed

Were they fools? Many in this world may think so. I began reading some of the comments posted after various articles on this killing and have posted just two. Much worse was said about them:

"The murders were wrong, but they could have been avoided. The idiot missionaries should not have been there in the first place. The so-called 'West' should get the hell out of Afghanistan, AND pay reparations to the Afghans (instead of repeating that embargo XXX they pulled on Iraq in the 1990s).

And missionaries everywhere (including the Muslim countries) should sit down and think about the idiocy and evil of spreading organized religion.
One thing at a time, though. First things first. Get out of Afghanistan, or don't whine if you get killed there."

"Unarmed doctors?
Missionaries have destroyed communities and societies for centuries without using guns. A doctor with a christian mission is not doing charity work, but advancing a genocidal agenda."

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There is much I could say about Christians being willing to risk and even lose their lives so that others might know the truth. But all of that is summed up in one word:  JESUS.

He did exactly what these missionaries and Jim Elliot and countless others have done throughout the centuries. He gave up His life so that others might live.

Did Jesus hate those who killed Him...no. He prayed for them. He asked forgiveness for their actions and loved them, desiring that they might spend eternity with Him. 

So what should our reaction be toward the Muslims who killed these missionaries? Should it be the attitude of this poster?

"As I have been saying for years, there is NO dealing with these rabid rag heads. We need to use the NUCLEAR OPTION for the entire region!!!!! Take out every thing south of Russia and west of Israel, including China! 

We do it now and we won't have to go back and do it again for fifty years. The population explosion will be well under control. 
You can bet that those XXX would do it to us in a NY minute."

NO! We are not called to hate them and desire their destruction. We are called to love our enemies and to do good to those who hate us. 

The Muslims NEED our prayers, our kindness and our help.