In the Face of Terror
In this time of crisis, we must be thoughtful and compassionate. It is thoughtlessness and a lack of compassion that lead to the bloody acts in San Bernardino. Being reactionary is easy, being patient and Christ-like is more difficult. It is in the face of adversity that we must ask ourselves what makes us different from our enemies. It was not that long ago that Americans decapitated our enemies and placed their heads upon village gates. Colonial governments once paid Americans to scalp our enemies for profit. It was not long ago that our soldiers wore the ears of our enemies as trophies, that our citizens would tear babies from a mother’s arms and kill them to watch her suffer. Crowds of Americans once delighted in lynchings and the suffering of the victim’s loved ones. Are we a better nation now because we kill by remote control? Can we be a nation that adheres to Matthew 5:39? Can we do as Christ asks us? Are we able to face our enemies and ask them to strike us again