When a missile lands in Dubai, it shatters the illusion that Western comfort can shield us from global conflict. Drew Cordell challenges Christians to move beyond escapism and ask: What does a Kingdom-shaped response to war look like when the world’s troubles hit close to home?
Dubai is not supposed to have missiles hitting its opulent, luxurious establishments. This is considerably off script for the Middle Eastern hub that promises its visitors only the best of life and none of the worst. And with that comes the earliest of stomach churns among us Westerners: that comfort and play are ultimately no permanent insulator against the dogs of war.
When Dubai goes off script
Whatever thoughts you may have on the recent attacks, one thing remains clear: they happened. We must reckon with a world in which President Trump, the Commander-in-Chief of arguably the world’s most powerful military, has decided to wield its surgical power in new ways. While it took years of bludgeoning and on-foot conflict to eventually locate Saddam Hussein, reports and headlines suggest senior figures within Iran’s leadership were targeted early in the conflict. Alongside the recent removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in the middle of the night, we are now witnessing a type of warfare that can feel unfamiliar. Cut off the head, and let’s experiment with the power vacuums left in its place.
A new kind of warfare and a Western shock
It would seem that the majority of the political apparatus is left catching its breath in the wake of this Trumpian doctrine of war that has been thrust upon us. I think, if we’re honest, the rest of us mere mortals Westerners are in a deep state of shock, but dare we ever admit it or explore it further? We get back to scrolling, school drop-offs, and our AirPod wilderness.
The quiet hope it will “stay over there”
Whatever your worldview, many of us are sincerely united in a hope that the conflict “stays over there.” Our isolationist, self-preservatory instincts desire for our closest loved ones and neighbours to remain safe and to continue enjoying the prosperous lifestyle that the West has experienced, unlike any other civilisation before it. But deep down, we instinctively suspect that the history books have not excused us from encountering the realities of war. I suspect that even my baby boomer parents, the first post–World War generation, will not leave this planet without seeing conflict enter the Western fray, even upon our very shores. To those who feel that I’m being overdramatic, I quietly whisper: a drone’s range will only get longer…
Why escapism doesn’t fit Jesus’s vision
Escapist Christians are, of course, supposed to have a logical absence of any anxiety whatsoever toward whatever destruction may be heading our way. We have eternal life, after all, so all this fighting and suffering should be rather academic and inconsequential. But on another level, such a view is antithetical to the teaching of Jesus. The Gospel writings focus on Jesus’s teaching of the Kingdom of God to be enacted more than any other subject. Heading off to the clouds with a harp is not what Jesus envisions for his followers.
What the Kingdom of God looks like in practice
This Kingdom of God is a realm where God’s values reign. Values of justice, peace, prosperity, healing, love, grace, and ingenuity are just a sample of the things that are to be abundant in this renewed world. As idealistic as all this sounds, the most astonishing aspect of this vision is that God desires that we, his flawed yet loved creation, play our part in bringing about a world where his goodness extends far and wide. Rather than wishing to be whisked off to a place called “heaven,” Jesus wants us to love our neighbour. This will inevitably involve our hearts breaking when an Iranian heart breaks. Our minds stretch in agony to find new pathways to peace. Our resources are being best utilised to help those in need.
From fear to faithful action
So when we find ourselves in that “stay over there” mentality, may we instead adopt a Christlike mentality. A mentality that cries out to God, yearning, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” A mentality that moves with action, not just with words. A mentality that steps toward rather than hides and avoids.
A prayer for peace
I pray for my Middle Eastern brothers and sisters today. May we all strive together and not separately, in the pursuit of peace.
Drew Cordell is an author at Honest Christianity Media.
