“It would have been better if they shot me…”

One of the worst mass killers in the world complained this week about being kept in isolation. Norway’s notorious killer Anders Breivik was in court to complain about the inhuman conditions he’s been kept in since he was convicted of murdering 77 people.

I’m not here to rant about him as a person. I fully believe in blessing those who curse you even when when it’s at the extremes of acceptability.

Breivik is man cast in the image of our God, lost and surrendered into his sin and under the influence of wicked spirits. I believe that he has been shown justice and even mercy in allowing to live, be fed and cared for in manner that’s more sanitary than most of the world.

His complaint that isolation is the worst of human conditions, jars me to consider the blessing of my freedom in Christ and the command to go into all the world and make disciples.

I mean is isolation is the worst (But see the list of World’s Worst Jobs below), then the gift we have of being set free from the burdens of our sin and our calling to go everywhere and meet as many people as we can should be considered among the highest joys.

World’s Worst Jobs 

• Armpit Sniffer for a deodorant company
• Crime Scene Cleaner (I hired a cleaning company once who did this kind of work. The stories! Yuck.)
• Crocodile Trainer 
• Mosquito Bite Victim (for research in the Amazon forest)
• Pet Food Taster (if it’s not tested on animals, it got to be tested by someone!)
• Sewer Diver (yeah, I said “sew-ah!”)
• Grass Watcher (an actual person watches the grass grow in one of London’s most prized gardens)
• Whale Snot Collector (because whale snot says alot about their health)

If we look at the Gospels, we get that image modeled so well. Jesus was so free as he ministered to so many people. He took time for encounters and conversations; challenging people to come to faith. It’s compelling to consider also how his followers did the same. The early disciples walking away from the tethers of jobs and even family responsibilities to walk with Jesus and travel. Later, they were anointed with the Holy Spirit and thereby “turbo-charged” to go out, meet and make disciples.

So I agree with Breivik (and may the Lord claim his heart), isolation is the worst. So go out today and enjoy your freedom in Christ.