December 18, 2014 (Thursday)
Dale Pogue’s blog Wednesday was an expression of grief and dismay over the Taliban’s slaughter of 140 children and teachers at a school in Pakistan. Many others were wounded and are in critical condition in hospitals. Such acts are expressions of organized insanity that infects the soul. This is war being waged by irrational people against civilization itself. “Unbelievable” would be the word of choice were it not for the fact that such acts have become all too common today.
I grieve with Dale because of such hateful behavior and he is right in pointing out that there is absolutely no excuse for similar deeds in our own country as people possessed by anger and hatred kill family members and strangers, thereby announcing to the world that humankind is afflicted with the disease of sin. There is a cure for this disease. Jesus saves.
The angels who announced the birth of Christ at Bethlehem long ago promised peace on earth among men of good will. This is the work of our Savior, who takes up residence in the hearts of those who submit to Him and desire to think like He does and behave accordingly. Peace among men is not a magic blanket spread over the human race; it is a result of people being given new hearts by the grace of God. True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are captivated by His love for sinners, which means every one in the world. Jesus urged us to love God with all our hearts and to love others as we love ourselves. What a wonderful world we could have if we all would respond positively to His call.