I'm sure you've heard about the ship captain who was recently rescued when Navy Seals shot and killed the three pirates who were holding him captive. It's great that he's safe, but the whole debacle has really made me think how we value life. As Christians, and even as human beings in general, we typically want to save as many lives as possible. Unless we're talking about trading pirates for captains.

On the surface, it does seem like a fair trade: three guilty pirates for one innocent captain. But I keep coming back to the fact that the pirates are in economic situations very much unlike our own. They come from a country where resources are scarce, and where every day brings a new challenge to literal survival. This certainly doesn't excuse kidnapping, but I do find myself wondering if we westerners share some responsibility. As members of "first-world" cultures, we unwittingly (and sometimes wittingly) exploit the downtrodden for our own gain: there's a reason prices are so low at Wal-Mart.

While I don't blame good ol' Sam Walton for piracy, I do contend that our influence contributes to violence and suffering in other societies. Undoubtedly there would still be evil-doers in an equitable society, but in some ways, we helped to create those pirates whose lives we've undervalued.

And three men for one is never a victory: we should rejoice for the one but mourn for the three.