Presence of Evil

The example shown to us by our Lord Jesus is that we should place the needs of others above our own, and just as He humbled Himself, even to the point of death, we are called to walk with a sense
of humility, even while possessing Biblically-based conviction. In Philippians 2, we read:
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

In the face of evil, we can be determined to display the good that is in Christ Jesus - we are not good in ourselves, but He gives us the capacity to reflect His nature.  With conviction infused with compassion, we can walk in a manner that pleases Him and shows that we know Him.  We recognize that what we do reflects who we are in Christ, and He desires for us to depend on Him as we seek to represent Him well.

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Jesus taught about a "greater love," that can motivate us to be people who put our love for Him and
our love for others above all else. In John 15, we can read:
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

A 45-year-old man who was apparently highly regarded by some rather high-profile people was stabbed in Israel recently.  The Daily Wire reports that:

Ari Fuld, an American-Israeli husband, father, and activist was murdered by a terrorist in the settlement of Kfar Etzion on Sunday morning.

While at the Etzion junction, a 17-year-old Palestinian approached Fuld and stabbed him in the back. Fuld then chased the attacker and shot him to prevent further casualties. Fuld was pronounced dead at the Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

The perpetrator reportedly is still alive.  The Daily Wire story stated:

Fuld was well-known for his pro-Israel advocacy on social media. Fuld was a prolific social media advocate and often posted videos and commentary on his Israel Defense Page on Facebook. He frequently live-streamed religious ceremonies at the Western Wall and gave his commentary about the news of the day. He also worked for Standing Together, an organization that provides support to Israeli soldiers. He was scheduled for a pro-Israel speaking tour in the United States in the coming weeks.

During a eulogy for her late husband, Miriam Fuld stated: "You fought for what you believed in. You’ve left behind a legacy for the entire world to savor, videos and stories that we will be telling for many years to come.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu is quoted as saying: "We are alive thanks to heroes like Ari. We will remember him forever.” Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee said in a tweet, “An American/Israel patriot was murdered in cold blood today by a young Palestinian terrorist who stabbed Ari IN THE BACK,” adding, “Ari chased and shot the coward who lived. Ari died. I was with Ari in July in Efrat.”

And, Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted out: “Please pray today for the family of Ari Fuld, a citizen of the U.S. & #Israel who was mortally stabbed by a terrorist...As he was dying he was able to incapacitate his killer thereby saving the life of other innocent civilians. May his memory be a blessing.”

In a disturbing development, CBN states that:

The family of the teenage murderer of American-Israeli Ari Fuld is set to receive about $400 a month for the next three years from the Palestinian Authority, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday.

It's a clear demonstration of the Palestinians' "pay to slay" policy in action.

That CBN article points out:

Earlier this year, President Trump signed into law "The Taylor Force Act" to stop funding to the Palestinian Authority until it changes its laws to stop giving stipends to terrorists and their families.

Israel also passed its own version of the "Pay for Slay Law" in July, whereby it will deduct the amount of money given to terrorists and their families from the taxes and tariffs Israel collects on behalf of the P.A.

There are several concepts that come to mind.  First of all, we recognize that there are people and organizations to whom monetary gain and the advancement of a cause outweigh the value of human life.  For example, these skewed belief systems guide the abortion industry, which is typlified by Planned Parenthood, which is driven by a profit motive, raking in money from its customers, as well as taxpayers.  It has even been involved in selling the body parts of unborn children.  Radical Islam demonstrates how commitment to a cause supersedes the respect for other human beings.
We have to make sure, as Christians committed to living out the commands of Christ, that we are humane toward other people, that we are not so driven by selfishness toward profit or getting our way that we are treating others in an unkind manner.

We also think about Ari Fuld himself - he is certainly regarded as a hero - why is this? He is regarded as someone who put others' lives first. He was also someone who was motivated by conviction: he believed in something - his country.  And, it's OK to believe in country; God has placed each of us in  a place in order to use us for His glory.

Finally, Fuld was someone who told stories - he was apparently an effective communicator. And, we recognize that stories can change hearts.  When we tell a story about how God has worked in our lives, we are deploying a device that God can use in order to point people to Him.