A Higher Law, A Greater Code

Last week, I watched an edited version of the movie “Lone Survivor” based on a true story about the battle between four Navy SEALs and an army of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan in 2005. The bottom line: the soldiers were outnumbered and outgunned but fought valiantly for hours, enduring horrible wounds. SEAL Marcus Luttrell miraculously survived after his brothers-in-arms were killed, and was rescued by a local villager, Mohammad Gulab. The man risked his life to save Luttrell. After the military extracted the SEAL, Gulab became a marked man by the Taliban.

In history and in the movie, you saw the American agenda for being in the war and then the Taliban with theirs. But then you see this small village of people who didn’t adhere to the view of either of those groups, but looked only at helping a hurting and wounded man, to the point of risking their lives. What would possibly motivate this?

It’s called the Pashtunwali Code, which simply believes in hospitality and protection for its guests with no harm allowed by anyone. Mercy and asylum are their focus.

Mohammad Gulab saved Marcus Luttrell, not because he was an American, or a soldier, or because of his color, politics, or homeland, nor out of fear or intimidation, but because he adhered to a centuries old code of honor that was a higher law than any other in the land.

Thank God Marcus Luttrell was found by someone who lived a different lifestyle. It’s the only way he survived.

Do we have a higher law and code of honor to adhere to above that which we see on national TV? The simple answer is yes. Then the next question is who are our “Marcus Luttrell’s”?

The Lord has told you, human, what is good; he has told you what he wants from you: to do what is right to other people, love being kind to others, and live humbly, obeying your God. —Micah 6:8 NCV