Thursday; December 10

In preparation of an upcoming holiday trip to West Virginia I have started reading about the Hatfields and McCoys. Now, for you West Virginians who might take offense to being painted with the same brush as the two families, please let me explain. For years, our family has been regaled with stories about how our family had a presence in Logan County, West Virginia back in the day, so I thought I’d start to do a little research and where better to start than with some of the most studied families in United States history. I am just beginning my reading, but I have already learned a couple of things. First, understanding the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys is tough because of the number of people involved – some of whom were related to the principle families on both sides of the conflict. Yet, I think the most important thing I have learned is that feuds aren’t necessarily fueled by incidents, that comes from a lack of forgiveness for the incidents. Especially early in this feud, significant incidents were years (and sometimes decades) apart, so it wasn’t the heat of the moment that drove the hatred, it is was the smoldering embers of bitterness that erupted into violence.
Interestingly, this study of one of America’s greatest feuds has reminded me of something biblical – forgiveness isn’t a luxury for unity, it is a necessity. Whether is among friends and neighbors, within a family, inside a community or a part of a national dialogue; the only way we are going to overcome the negative side of tribalism is through forgiveness. While this observation is important when it comes to the social sciences, it is vital in our spiritual lives. The New Testament commands, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:3-32). Let’s let go of our past and move on to a bright future.
Think About It!

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