"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other also.  If someone takes your coat, don't stop him from taking your shirt off your back.  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, don't demand it back.  Do to others as you would have them do to you."

"But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting anything back.  Then your reward will be great, and you will be sonds of hte Most High, BECAUSE HE IS KIND TO THE UNGRATEFUL AND WICKED.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

"Bless those who curse you; bless and do not curse."

"Don't repay anyone evil for evil."

"Don't take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord.  On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.'  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Nothing brilliant to say.  It's already been said.

It was a senseless killing.  A man stood over his helpless victim and spilled his blood on the ground.  The cries of the helpless man were quickly silenced by the will of death which ravaged forth from this man's hands.  Am I speaking of Muslims who, in the name of God/Allah, cold-bloodedly snuff out the life of someone they hate for no reason?  This is actually the story of Cain killing his brother Abel in the book of Genesis.

But why raise the subject in light of recent events?

Well, there is an interesting passage in the Bible that says that the blood of Jesus speaks a better word than that of Abel (Hebrews 12:24).  I found that curious.  Just what word does the blood of Abel speak?  For the answer, we might turn to Genesis, where God says to Cain that the blood of his brother cries out against him.  Cries out?  For what?  It isn't specifically said.  Then we might ask, what does the blood of Jesus say?  What word does it speak?  Again, we are not specifically told.

I think two thoughts may guide us toward what words we are looking for.

First, let me shoot straight with you: I, like many, have in my mind just the kind of justice that should be meated out on those monsters who beheaded Nick.

(Btw, is monster too strong a term?  I think not.  What is the point of a monster?  What is it that makes a monster a monster?  False-faced to hide their true identity.  Fearsome.  Too strong for you.  Their sole purpose is to instill fear.  They THRIVE on fear.  These terrorists fit the profile.  End of speech on justifying calling these monsters monsters).

I think I would like to post just a brief sketch of what I would like to see happen so justice would be done to these monsters.  I would first like to dress them in an orange jump suit.  Then I would want to tie them up in chairs.  Then the executioners would enter wearing Halloween masks--really freaky ones.  Then they would proceed to burn their own personal copies of the Qur'an in front of them.  They would tell them that they are going to cut off their heads all the while shouting, "La illaha Rasul Muhammad!" ("There is no prophet Muhammad"--an especially cutting remark as it utilizes words used in the shahadah) and beating them with rods to break their bones.  Their tongues would be cut out and mouths taped shut to prevent any back talk.

At this point, they would exhibit the kind of insolence we could expect of monsters and one might think that the torturers were defeated by the strong will of the Islamic monsters.  But one thing is for sure: Monsters have families.  Especially in Muslim society.  So at the peak of their insolence, when they think that they have their torturers at their wits end, their families would be brought in and they would be made to watch the horrors (which I think I'll refrain from detailing here) meated out on them.  At last, the executioners would do to their family members kind of what happened to Nick, although I think they would prefer a really strong man to just do it by hand.  It might be several days before the remains of the family are removed and they finally do to the monsters what they've had coming all along.

That, of course, would still be too good for them.

As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything that would be good enough for them.  I can't think of any punishment that might affect them to where they see the error of their ways and be truly contrite.

In my most honest moments, though, I can't help but think about what I deserve--from God's perspective, that is.  I haven't cut anyone's head off.  I've never robbed a bank, done drugs, slept with any girls, smoked cigarettes, or even stole bubble gum from the candy store.  I don't "drink, cuss, smoke, or chew and I don't date the girls who do."  I guess by most estimates, I'm a pretty decent guy (so enters pride).  But all of us know the dirty truths deep down.  We don't like to admit it, but every one of us has been at some level a murderer.  Or an adulterer.  Or a rapist.  Or a bully.  Or a slanderer.  Or a gossip.  Be honest: If you could get away with it, guys, you'd force yourselves on that one girl.  And girls, if you could make that one "female" just disappear out of existance with just one "look" you'd do it.  The point: Everyone has done something, severe or not, and we all harbor dirt here and there. 

The truth: We deserve God's justice.

The blood of Abel, you see, cries out, "Vengence!"

Not originally mine, but here is something worth reading:

Surprises About Jesus:

I love candy.  Let me just state that from the beginning.  If someone were to offer me a Butterfinger, M&M's, Snickers, KitKat, or my very favorite Reese's Peanutbuttercups, I would have a very hard time saying, "Sorry, I just ate.  Thanks just the same."  No, I think the candy would disappear just about the time my friend would have finished saying the word "bar" (as in, "Would you like a candy bar?").

And I love ice cream.  We really eat more pleasurable goodies than the Pharaohs of Egypt did for dessert.  My personal favorite would have to be Moose Tracks (sometimes called Rabbit Tracks; could the fact it contains mini peanutbutter cups contribute to my insatiable lust for it?).  I like to get a waffle cone with three scoops: Moose Tracks, Cookies 'n' Creme, and then another layer of Moose Tracks.

There are, of course, some draw backs to these wonderful delights: First, if you don't brush, they will have your teeth for dessert.  We would love to think that these choppers of ours can handle anything with which we abuse them.  But then it happens: We bite into our favorite chocolate bar and feel like we just chomped down on aluminum foil.  The pain is excruciating and the dentist is oh-not-so-kind, either in word or in deed.

Second, you only get one.  Yeah...only one.  No bang for your buck!  What do I mean?  Well, I've never found a peanutbutter cup tree.  Or a Snickers tree.  Not naturally, anyway.  We have to manufacture these things and package them in expensive, environmentally hostile, hermetically sealed packages.

Consider, though, God's candy.  "What," you ask, "God makes candy?"  Certainly!  It grows on trees, comes in its own bio-degradable packaging, reproduces itself, is cheap or free, and it is actually healthy for you!!!  How incredibly BRILLIANT is that?  God has not only designed our bodies, but has made self-replicating food to nourish them and help them grow!  Not only that, but I feel perfectly free sharing my apples, oranges, and bananas with my dog, Max (I bite off a piece and give him some).  I wouldn't DARE share ANY candy with my dog!

You don't like apples, oranges or bananas?  No problem!  He has also made strawberries, blueberries, mangos, tangarines, pears, lemons, limes, grapefruits, celery, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and every array of food that grows on plants (By the way, the classification system of fruits vs. vegetables is an entirely human invention).

Next time you bite into some fresh fruit remember how awesome and marvelous such an invention is, and, if you aren't too afraid, thank the One who invented it--the One in Whom we live, move and have our being.  :)

It seems to me these days that there is a dearth of passion.  I'm not saying there are no poets, for there are an abundance of those.  And unfortunately many get published just because they make a nice little rhyme.  Or they express the Zeitgheist of pop culture and everyone gasps in awe.  But truly passionate material seems to be lost, and what makes me say that is the dearth, in prose literature, of that which captures the heart, mind and soul.

Perhaps an illustration in the realm of love letters would serve best.  Take a couple of minutes to read the Letter of Sullivan Ballou found here: Letter of Sullivan Ballou  When you're finished, come back...this page should still be here.  :)

Now take a moment to read the drivel that passes for passion these days:

HEY GIRL EGG HEAD J/K ANY HOW THANX FOR GOING TO THE RACE TRACK WITH ME IT WAS DA **** HUH **** I MISS KICKIN IT WITH YOU ALOT IM GLAD WE CHILLED HEY GIRL I KNOW ITS BEEN ALONG TIME SINCE WE STOP SEEING EACH OTHER WHAT 5 MONTHS YOU STILL LIVE OUT IN THE SAME CITY ITS HOT AS **** OUT HERE IN MY CITY MY MOM ASKED ABOUT YOU THE OTHER DAY HEY LETS GO TO MY AUNTS THIS HOLIDAY AGAIN THAT BIG *** CAR SIZE LETTERS I LOVE [NAME OF GIRL] I MEAN IT GIRL I ALWAYS LOVE U I KNOW U DO Z WELL HEY I'LL SEE U SOON I HOPE AGAIN BEFORE HALLOWEEN MISS YA CHICK LATER PRINCESS

Now this guy really knows how to woo a lady--NOT!!!  Perhaps he can woo the easy girls.  Still not convinced?  Read a few more letters here.  This is only one of scores of illustrations of how passion is so lost.

I wonder, really wonder, what it would take to get the souls of people truly stirred to do great things: not merely live a normal life, but to live passionately.  Maybe it is because we live vicariously through movies, soap operas, and reality shows.  Maybe it is because we are too busy trying to keep from being compared less favorably.  Maybe we're afraid we'll get hurt, killed, or worse yet--sued.  Well, to that I can only say...

Carpe Diem!

Stick to your work.

Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil's dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil's rabbits.

Do your work.

Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let critics malign, let enemies accuse, let the devil do his worst.

But see to it nothing hinders you from fulfilling with great joy the work God has given you.

He has not commanded you to be admired or esteemed.  He has never bidden you defend your character.  He has not set you at work to contradict falsehood about yourself which Satan's or God's servants may start to peddle, or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation.  If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord.

Keep at your work.

Let your aim be as steady as a star.  You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded and rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and depised and rejected of men.

But see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and object of your being until at last you can say, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do."

--Source Not Known

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."  This is a quote by Jim Elliot, a missionary who was KIA in the 1950s in Ecuador.

His buddy Nate Saint, one of the other five who died in that incident, wrote this: "The way I see it, we ought to be willing to die. In the military, we were taught that to obtain our objectives we had to be willing to be expendable. Missionaries must face that same expendability."

Again, Jim wrote, "God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee.  Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine.  I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus."

Two more quotes: "Father, take my life, yea, my blood if Thou wilt, and consume it with Thine enveloping fire.  I would not save it, for it is not mine to save.  Have it Lord, have it all.  Pour out my life as an oblation for the world.  Blood is only of value as it flows before Thine altar."

"Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I may be aflame.  But flame is often short-lived.  Canst thou bear this, my soul?  Short life?  In me there dwells the spirit of the Great Short-Lived, whose zeal for God's house consumed Him.  'Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.'"