Thoughts on 9/11
I've been reading a lot of headlines lately. These fools in Florida and elsewhere that want to burn Korans. Riot crowds in Islamic countries burning Bibles and crosses in retaliation. Everyone's a victim, everyone's lashing out.
A few thoughts in return:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt. 5:38-39) In other words, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth eventually leaves everyone blind and eating oatmeal.
Also, a quote from M. Scott Peck that was in a recent sermon I heard:
"There are dozens of ways to deal with evil and several ways to conquer it. All of them are facets of the truth that the only ultimate way to conquer evil is to let it be smothered within a willing, living human being. When it is absorbed there like blood in a sponge or a spear into one’s heart, it loses its power and goes no further. The healing of evil...can be accomplished only by the love of individuals. A willing sacrifice is required."
Next, listening to a recent audio clip from Ravi Zacharias, he recounts a visit with a Sheik wherein he observed that on one mountain, Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son, and God told him to hold back, that He would provide the sacrifice. On another mountain, God's own Son was sacrificed, and not held back. Until we accept the sacrifice God made for us, we will continually be sacrificing our own sons.
Finally, my own thought: It's one thing to accept Christ's blood as atonement for my own sins. But then, I have to accept His blood as atonement for the sins of "that other guy", the one who offends me, who insults me, who injures me. That's the tough part. We're told that we find forgiveness when we forgive. Easy words. But the only way to know the truth of them is to live by them. That's the hard part.
A few thoughts in return:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matt. 5:38-39) In other words, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth eventually leaves everyone blind and eating oatmeal.
Also, a quote from M. Scott Peck that was in a recent sermon I heard:
"There are dozens of ways to deal with evil and several ways to conquer it. All of them are facets of the truth that the only ultimate way to conquer evil is to let it be smothered within a willing, living human being. When it is absorbed there like blood in a sponge or a spear into one’s heart, it loses its power and goes no further. The healing of evil...can be accomplished only by the love of individuals. A willing sacrifice is required."
Next, listening to a recent audio clip from Ravi Zacharias, he recounts a visit with a Sheik wherein he observed that on one mountain, Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son, and God told him to hold back, that He would provide the sacrifice. On another mountain, God's own Son was sacrificed, and not held back. Until we accept the sacrifice God made for us, we will continually be sacrificing our own sons.
Finally, my own thought: It's one thing to accept Christ's blood as atonement for my own sins. But then, I have to accept His blood as atonement for the sins of "that other guy", the one who offends me, who insults me, who injures me. That's the tough part. We're told that we find forgiveness when we forgive. Easy words. But the only way to know the truth of them is to live by them. That's the hard part.
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