Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.1 John 2:15-17
The seed of contempt begins in the heart
I woke up thinking it was time to get up. As I looked outside and saw the moonbeams glistening off the freshly fallen snow.shining brightly that it seemed like daylight but a quick glance at the kitchen clock told a different story. My thoughts were on two people that were alive in that same time period, on two different continents.
It seems that because of the myriad of relationships we have through a spider web of connections it doesn't take much to be affected by the tragedy. Whether in our own lives or the lives of our friend's tragedy and the ramifications of such impact us.
In the early morning hours, I reflected on the lives of two people who profoundly impacted the world in a negative way.
Two people who literally, caused millions to suffer from maddening flashbacks and nightmares.
I momentarily found myself on the D-day boat as a young lad heading toward the beaches of Normandy clutching the cross around my neck, shaking visibly wondering as I was hearing the sound of gunfire that got louder with our approach and wondering if this was the end of my short life.
I flashed forward to the home of a Jewish family and as a young child, I observed the German SS officers pushing the door down and grabbing my mom and dad while all of us children screamed shrieks and cries as if that was enough to win the conflict. Still, in another scene, I'm standing in the Auschwitz 'shower' room with a thousand other scared and bewildered people wondering when the water would begin cascading down from the ceiling and to my horror I saw, not water, but pellets of poison gas dropping down the chutes of this room as screams were heard from all corners while attempts to scratch one's way out became fruitless as one by one the lifeless bodies dropped.
My eyes moistened as I glanced at the picture of Jesus on the wall of my den who appeared to be struggling to carry this rough-hewn cross on the way to his death as if God was reminding me he understands mankind's pain.
It seems that because of the myriad of relationships we have through a spider web of connections it doesn't take much to be affected by the tragedy. Whether in our own lives or the lives of our friend's tragedy and the ramifications of such impact us.
In the early morning hours, I reflected on the lives of two people who profoundly impacted the world in a negative way.
Two people who literally, caused millions to suffer from maddening flashbacks and nightmares.
I momentarily found myself on the D-day boat as a young lad heading toward the beaches of Normandy clutching the cross around my neck, shaking visibly wondering as I was hearing the sound of gunfire that got louder with our approach and wondering if this was the end of my short life.
I flashed forward to the home of a Jewish family and as a young child, I observed the German SS officers pushing the door down and grabbing my mom and dad while all of us children screamed shrieks and cries as if that was enough to win the conflict. Still, in another scene, I'm standing in the Auschwitz 'shower' room with a thousand other scared and bewildered people wondering when the water would begin cascading down from the ceiling and to my horror I saw, not water, but pellets of poison gas dropping down the chutes of this room as screams were heard from all corners while attempts to scratch one's way out became fruitless as one by one the lifeless bodies dropped.
My eyes moistened as I glanced at the picture of Jesus on the wall of my den who appeared to be struggling to carry this rough-hewn cross on the way to his death as if God was reminding me he understands mankind's pain.
Two people on different continents with a pain of their own that became the breeding ground of hate within their heart.
Two people who might have done well if they had had a life of positive experiences instead of a life of hurts.
On one side of the ocean was a woman named Margaret Sanger, a woman who had such contempt for the underclasses of society that she made it her life's mission to do something about the misery they brought to society.
She had such ill disregard for these creatures that it was her twisted worldview that leads to the founding of the American Birth Control league which later became known as Planned Parenthood.
Across the ocean was another man who had a similarly twisted world view- his hatred of the entire Jewish race and his belief that Jews were the cause of the global collapse.
As a young lad, Adolph had wanted to be an artist and in fact had applied to a prestigious art school in Vienna, but his hopes were dashed when he had been rejected, not once but several times. The seeds of hatred for the Jewish race began to grow.
Two people who might have done well if they had had a life of positive experiences instead of a life of hurts.
On one side of the ocean was a woman named Margaret Sanger, a woman who had such contempt for the underclasses of society that she made it her life's mission to do something about the misery they brought to society.
She had such ill disregard for these creatures that it was her twisted worldview that leads to the founding of the American Birth Control league which later became known as Planned Parenthood.
Across the ocean was another man who had a similarly twisted world view- his hatred of the entire Jewish race and his belief that Jews were the cause of the global collapse.
As a young lad, Adolph had wanted to be an artist and in fact had applied to a prestigious art school in Vienna, but his hopes were dashed when he had been rejected, not once but several times. The seeds of hatred for the Jewish race began to grow.
His hatred for the Jews festered like a terribly looking wound until his mindset poisoned the minds of all of the other German citizens who had nothing against the Jewish race until Adolph Hitler made it one.
In both Sanger and Hitler are two people who hated a class of people and instead of finding common things with them they stewed in their hatred like home made soup in a boiling pot.
Two people, two misguided thoughts planted wrongly in their hearts, causing widespread hysteria and wiping out whole generations of people we will never know. People never born who might have held the secret for the cure of cancer or some other insidious disease. People who might have become outstanding teachers, surgeons, artist, therapists, musicians, or outstanding athletes who instead perished because of one misguided thought.
Because of their hatred, lives were destroyed and trauma became commonplace in the lives of its survivors.
Two people, two misguided thoughts planted wrongly in their hearts, causing widespread hysteria and wiping out whole generations of people we will never know. People never born who might have held the secret for the cure of cancer or some other insidious disease. People who might have become outstanding teachers, surgeons, artist, therapists, musicians, or outstanding athletes who instead perished because of one misguided thought.
Because of their hatred, lives were destroyed and trauma became commonplace in the lives of its survivors.
My mind dwelled on the ‘what if’ of their lives. What if Adolph, as a young boy, had been encouraged in his pursuit of Art and what if young Margaret had positive experiences with the poor working class people of her day?
We might have seen a different outcome.
As my mind dwelled on these two people I was reminded that there is nothing good that comes out of life when men and woman, play God.and decide it is up to them to cast judgment.
We might have seen a different outcome.
As my mind dwelled on these two people I was reminded that there is nothing good that comes out of life when men and woman, play God.and decide it is up to them to cast judgment.
I cannot reverse the hands of time in an effort to save millions of lives caused by this wrongful thinking, but I do know that God sent Jesus to earth to learn to walk in my shoes so he can help me walk through the rough patches of life filled with nightmares and flashbacks caused by other’s hatred and contempt.
As I look around me, I see more in common with people than I see differences. I see a country that I live in as a place where everyone can freely worship the way they want without fear of retribution and death. I see a country where a family can sit in the safe confines of their home eating dinner or playing games without strange men in brown shirts forcing their way in and telling us we have to leave because of a new rule that says we're not welcome here.
In my worldview, I see God as one who loves all people and all he wants from us is to love him and trust him that he knows what to do with our pain, our flashbacks, and nightmares when traumatic things happen that are beyond our control.
The seed that was planted in my life began as a mere 18-year-old lad when I said yes to Jesus is the same seed that can be planted in anyone's life if they choose to hear the gentle voice of the Lord knocking on their heart.
.One life can make a difference in a world of hate.
It starts with a decision of the heart.
.One life can make a difference in a world of hate.
It starts with a decision of the heart.
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