Fight

Earlier today (yesterday) I was driving to go get some gas. As I went through the Safeway parking lot I caught something out of the corner of my eye that made me take a second look.

Two grown men on the ground fighting with blood everywhere.

This was at 9:30 AM on a Monday. Didn't they have better things to do? As I said, there was blood everywhere and I didn't really know what to do. My first instinct was to break it up and then I became too worried about what might happen to me. So I called the cops and went to get gas.

After the police, ambulance, and fire truck arrived I was leaving the gas station and had to go the same direction I came in. Several people were bloodied up with one man taken to the side by a police officer and the second man on the bottom of the fighting pile was on a stretcher, drenched in blood and apparently not moving.

So then I thought to myself - what could drive a person to get so mad that he would beat someone to a pulp, unconscious, and then keep hitting? What kind of hate does that take? Why does that kind of hate exist in the world? Thank you Jesus that I do not have that kind of hate in me.

Now I can understand a few punches thrown, a guy gets knocked down - fight over. There may be a few instances in life where that kind of action may need to be taken - mostly the defense of the defenseless - but THIS?

There is a fight inside my mind that continues on all the time. That is the fight that says how can I know the good in something if I have never experienced the bad? Example - how can I know the dangers of drinking if I have never drank myself? How can I know the stupidity of and the lifestyle that drugs bring if I have never been involved in it myself? And the examples go on and on.

Today I was thankful that I have never experienced this type of hatred toward another human being and it makes me realize that God's grace and love and wisdom has always been present in my life. I am so thankful that I have always known of God and that He is there for me.

I strive to reach certain levels in my own life. I have failed quite often in that. I am in this position now because I have failed in that. But I thank God that I have never slipped so far as to hate my neighbor with a reckless abandon.

Truth be told is that there is a mental fight going on me. Today, I am extremely thankful that the good side wins most of the time in that fight.

Jesus, I love you and I thank you for all you have done for me.