What I Want to Tell Vladimir Putin Right Now

Here’s what I'd like the Russian dictator to know.

When I arrived at the place where I meet with the brothers and sisters this past Sunday, one of them told me that Vladimir Putin had just issued a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons on the nations that were rendering aid to Ukraine.

If we were dealing with a sane man, and if I were in charge, the logical response would be, “Hey, Vladimir! Go for it, but I don’t think you’d like the outcome if you pull that stunt.” But I’m not in charge, and we aren’t dealing with a sane man. By all indications, the Russian dictator has lost touch with reality. Apparently, he isn’t carrying a full stringer of fish, if you get my drift. Dangerous stuff, for sure.

Now, don’t get me wrong — the prospect of nuclear war isn’t one that I take lightly. Even the possibility that this thing could escalate into a full-fledged conventional world war and collapse our economy isn’t something I’m looking forward to, not to mention the millions of lives that could be lost.

But I made a decision a long time ago that I would put my faith in the sovereign God who created the universe instead of getting too stirred up about stuff I have no control over. My faith is in him because he is all-powerful, all-knowing, and will reign forever and ever. And it’s from that Almighty God that I get my marching orders. I have looked, and as far as I can tell, he never said a word to me about obsessing about whatever shenanigans the world is up to. I may comment from time to time on the evil I see, but even then, I’m always pointing to Jesus. 

So, I just concentrate on the task he’s given me and leave the rest up to him. The good thing about God is that he has revealed himself to mankind. And he’s also been very specific about the job he’s laid out for me to do.

A perfect example of what I’m talking about is what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:14-16)

I’m a Jesus man, and he’s the story of my life. He saved me, and he’ll save you too if you’re interested in having intimate fellowship with the King of kings. That’s my story, and I’m certainly not going to abandon it.

So, if you want to know what motivates me to relentlessly tell people about the God who loves them, this is it. I’m unaware of any other story that tells me how I can have my sin eradicated, how I can live joyfully in a dark world, and how I can be assured that I will conquer death. My gratitude for what God has done for me is why I enthusiastically spread the word. That’s the story I tell. I want others to avoid the lies that lead us away from the only path to fulfillment — faith in Christ. So, I try to be salt and light to others for Christ’s sake and for theirs.

Think about it: If God is who he says he is, what can harm me? I mean, eternally harm me? Wars? Rumors of wars? Death? Disease? Financial collapse? You’re not going to believe this, but I have peace in the middle of it all because I know who’s in charge.

Therefore, no matter, I’m good to go! I just serve the one who tasted death for me. I’m following the one who was raised from the dead and sits at the right hand of God interceding for me. With all that God has done for me and is continuing to do, why would I sit in the corner whimpering that the sky is falling, for crying out loud? I serve the God who will reign forever and ever just as he has for the eternal past. This stuff isn’t even a blip on the radar screen of eternity.

That’s why I’m constantly looking upward — toward this God and toward the immortality that he’s promised me. I’m personally living out my days here on Earth looking forward to that day when my resurrected body enters his throne room and I get to meet him face-to-face.

The apostle John got a glimpse of it when the Lord gave him the vision he recorded in the book of Revelation. What he saw startled him — all the creatures of heaven standing before the throne of God praising his glory. The appearance of the Almighty was so overwhelming the heavenly crowd never stopped repeating the same words over and over:

            Holy, Holy, Holy,

            Is the Lord God Almighty!

            Who was, and is, and is to come!

                                                (Revelation 4)

Now, let me ask you something: If Almighty God is so majestic, so powerful, so glorious, and so flawless that those standing before him were compelled to repeatedly worship him in unrestrained praise, and if that is who I serve, then who is this Vladimir Putin fellow to a guy like me? What can he do to steal my joy? Do his threats mean anything to me? As I’ve told people before, “You need to be careful about threatening the sons and daughters of the Almighty! That’s not a good idea!” But neither Putin nor anyone else will silence my mouth and force me to stop telling the world about Jesus. No one!

In fact, if I ran up on Putin tomorrow, that is exactly what I would tell him — that the Almighty reigns. Then I would shine the light of gospel right into the dark recesses of his wicked heart and plead with him to repent of his sins and turn to God. What he does after that is up to him.

The way I figure it, it’s a win-win situation for me. If I go on living for a few more years, that just means I get to preach the gospel that many more times. If I get vaporized in a nuclear blast, that just means I get to see God that much sooner. At least it would beat dying of old age or cancer, right?

Either way, I can’t lose! I’ll just keep on being salt and light until the day I die. It’s a good way to live.