Tuesday, December 02, 2014

Struggling with the Sword

In one state last year, more than 2,700 people were killed in alcohol related accidents. If they had been gun related deaths, there would be more outrage.

It seems every day I see reactions that are completely inconsistent and even hypocritical. It astounds me how limited our love and humanity can be - how narrow our definition of it is, and how slow we have become to forgive.

Why is it that we have such selective care for human life? I am convinced that we have become more concerned with our own feelings than we have with what is right and good. A sad existence. An ancient prophet described such a situation...

"And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives." - Mormon 2:14

When I ponder the situation in Ferguson and other recent incidents across the world, I realize that many are indeed struggling "with the sword" instead of coming to Christ with broken hearts and contrite spirits. Our swords today are our angry words, violence, and hatred often displayed - even done often under the guise of humanity and love.  But it is too often a facade and when it comes time to apply the same "love and humanity" to other situations, we have no willingness or energy left to give.

No, too often only the popular, the wave of popular opinion or the media stoked flames of a single incident are what brings out "humanity" out and we fight in the name of love without any true love behind it. In some ways, "love" has become a new weapon - a new label for anger and bitterness and "righteous fury" that has little in common with real love.

In the New Testament, it says,

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 1 John 4: 20

This is as relevant today as it has ever been.

I hope we can lay down our own swords and find a way to have compassion and love through the bridling of passions and contrite spirits.

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