There is no way to describe the unfortunate recent murders of our proud and courageous military personnel in Chattanooga, men with families, who have served our Nation proudly in Iraq and Afghanistan, when called upon, laying their life on the line for each and everyone of us, even the young man who gunned them down.
As we know, the world has been full of hate and hostility since the beginning of time. The Old Testament is full of such, and much of it is backed up by those who says it is God's Will. Surely the God we know revealed in Jesus Christ would never advocate such treatment of others.
The test of human relationships has been, and always will be, a struggle between the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the truth and the false, love and hate. This has been the case since the days of Adam and Eve.
The test of human relationships has been, and always will be, a struggle between the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the truth and the false, love and hate.
The struggle between the good and the bad, the right and the wrong is why communities have policemen and nations have standing armies, and why many of us lock our doors at night, and frequently during the day. Will such hostility never end? Who knows?
The struggle between good and evil is a never-ending struggle, one which we have to live with, move on, hoping for the best, always remembering who we are, what we believe and what we say and do. What we do personally has much to do with who will be the winner between the struggle of good and evil. Not to choose between the two assures who and what will win.
A world at peace is all too often an illusive dream. But folks like most of us dare to dream. The very nature of Christian faith is to dream of better days to come. Take care and dare to dream on.
The Rev. Billy J. Cox is a retired United Methodist minister, a World War II veteran, and served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force chaplain corps.