I was just listening to an Ex-Jihadi talk about his experience.  He was drawn into becoming a terrorist.  He said, “You can go from being a nobody to becoming a hero who will be remembered overnight.”  Wow!  That struck me for several reasons.  First, how do you want to be remembered?  Do you want to be remembered for doing something pure evil?  Wouldn’t it be better to be forgotten forever than to be remembered for doing something horrible?  I remember learning that a child will do destructive things just to get attention.  Any attention, even negative attention, is to be desired.  I suppose that in today’s culture there is a lack of values to the extent that, just as with a little child, any attention is worth whatever it costs, even losing your humanity.

Second, in “Choosing Life,” I told you that I grew up in a dysfunctional family.  In such a family, getting attention usually resulted in another painful experience.  The goal became to escape notice at all costs.  As a flaming co-dependent, it was my goal to please everyone.  I don’t need to tell you how unsatisfying that is.  I finally learned that living “under the radar” gave me the opportunity to decide for myself what I valued and what I wanted to achieve.  There are advantages to being anonymous.  The Bible tells us to make it our ambition to “lead a quiet life.”  A quiet life has the benefits of being able to live life on your own terms and feeling genuine satisfaction in each day.  Being a “nobody” has a lot to offer.

Finally, the ex-Jihadist mentioned that he left the Jihad philosophy when he saw what it  really offered, or didn’t offer, and when he investigated the truth, or lack thereof, in what he was being told.  Never settle for a lie.  Search for the truth, and you will find it.  When you find the Truth, His name is Jesus.  And you will know that every single one of us is important to Him.  There is no such thing as a “nobody.”