Hasn’t everybody heard of the infamous 19th-century feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys? It all started with a fight over a razorback hog and turned into a vendetta that continued unabated for several decades. Members of both clans committed murders, and their fighting brought heartache to every family in the valley of the Tug Fork River, along the border of Kentucky and West Virginia.
The men who started this bitter and destructive violence, William Hatfield and Randolph McCoy, were responsible for scores of deaths, but they were never brought to justice in a court of law. Although they both lived long lives, they had to watch the suffering and death of their loved ones.
The world tells us, ‘Don’t get mad; get even!” But, Paul said, “Do not avenge yourselves,…for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
I’ve learned that if I don’t seek revenge, God fights my battles for me. Have you seen that work in your life, as well?
Tags: battles, hatred, vengeance
Have you ever really hated? Hatred develops over time when we fail to deal with unforgiveness. If you’ve ever been wronged, you know that hurts. If we don’t deal with the wrong done to us, it grows into unforgiveness. If we don’t deal with the unforgiveness, it grows into hatred. And hatred breeds death.
Perhaps the best example of this is the PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization). These people felt wronged when the British government gave statehood status to Israel in 1947. Ever since then they have waged a terror guerilla war against their neighbors, Israel. In spite of many attempts to bring peace to that troubled land, today the PLO would rather see their own economy destroyed that make peace with their enemies.
That’s an illustration of hatred: to destroy yourself rather than make peace. How’re ya doin’?
Tags: hatred, Israel
What do you think of when you read the words of Mr. Donohoe, written in his 1935 will?:
“Unto my two daughters, Frances Marie and Denise Victoria, by reason of their unfilial attitude toward a doting father,…I leave the sum of $1.00 to each and a father’s curse. May their lives be fraught with misery, unhappiness, and poignant sorrow. May their deaths be soon and of a lingering malignant and torturous nature.”
Continuing, he concluded, “May their souls rest in hell and suffer the torments of the condemned for eternity.”
What do you think was going on inside his head and heart? How did this man develop such hatred? If you knew Mr. Donohoe personally, what help could you offfer him?
Tags: hatred, unforgiveness, will