Wednesday; April 18

Few of us who are old enough will ever forget the sickness we felt in our stomachs twenty-eight years ago. In the early morning hours of April 19, 1995 an explosion rocked through Oklahoma City killing 168 people – including 19 children. To me, what made this event particularly troubling is that it was carried out by one of our fellow-citizens. This was homegrown domestic terrorism.

I remember the horror of that day and the sinking feeling of finding out who committed such a dastardly act. How could anyone do something like this – especially one of us? Unfortunately, in the years that have followed, the answer has become easier and easier to understand. All it takes to commit murder – even on a grand scale – is a burning hatred. Whether focused on individuals, groups of people or even organizations like the federal government, hatred that goes unchecked can have devastating consequences. Throughout the years people have tried to devalue the cost that hatred can play on us, but let’s not be mistaken, it doesn’t take long for hatred to become deadly.

Thousands of years ago Jesus warned of the dangers of hatred by saying, “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. (Matthew 5:21-22). Let’s monitor our emotions and be on the lookout for the presence of hate. When we control our temper, we may not just save our soul, we may just also save someone’s life.

Think About It! 

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