When I hand wrote this article I was in a position of limited motion with an I-V in one arm and a catheter attached to another body part.
It was my intention after my visitors began their long journey home that I would begin to lay out ideas for upcoming social media videos on the topic of “Practical Holiness For Today” that I am planning to produce.
It was at that point of time that a man in one of the beds in the hospital room I am in resisted a medical procedure, becoming verbally abusive and violent. The gentleman involved also has some dementia challenges at times as well.
Beyond the calm, compassionate and creative response of the hospital staff in this situation, there was something else that vividly stood out during this event. There is great truth to the Biblical principle, “we reap what we sow,” so be careful what you sow. It was clearly obvious this man is haunted by what he saw and experienced during the Second World War. It was also very clear he is living with incredible remorse and guilt over what he did and did not do, those many years ago.
How many people live their lives filled with anger, bitterness and regrets as a result of decisions they made in the past and never did anything to change the situation?
There are times when the past cannot be changed, but there is always the opportunity for us to change who we are moving forward into the future. The application of love and forgiveness can make all the difference in how the future plays out, both for others and our self.