Anger vs. Joy ... which do you choose?

There seems to be alot of talk in the news lately about "Hate". It's no secret that society today is becoming angrier. Is it justified?

The Congress has decided to do something about this "hate" issue. "The Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009" is creating an intense stir on the floor of the House of Representatives. One side says that it partains only to the physical act of assault on individuals listed in the legislation, not appearing to respond to the charge that Christians who talk against the sin of homosexuality could be seen as inciting hate crimes.

My question is, doesn't there seem to not just be more "hate" going around these days, but more hateful actions as well? At Apple Valley Elementary school in Yakima, Washington, a little 5-year-old boy came home from kindergarten one day. As his mom was cleaning out his backpack, she found a clear plastic bag containing feces and a note from the teacher that said, "This little turd was found on the floor in my room." Seems that the little boy had made a couple of boo-boos back at the beginning of the school year, (like many little 5-year-olds do), and this led the irrate teacher to pin the crime on him. According to the article, the child's grandmother stated that the little boy hadn't even been in the classroom when the 'evidence' was found. As a matter of fact, he was in an entirely different facility attending special education classes. What if the kids on the school bus had been goofing around that day and had opened his backpack? What if the plastic bag that was used had come undone? And there's always the most obvious question ... what if it wasn't even his? This teacher had shamed & humiliated a mere babe. When my kids first started public school years ago, all I heard for the entire year was how smart 'teacher' was. They each thought their kindergarten teachers' opinions & comments were the final word on wisdom and knowledge. I would like to say that the teacher had forever lost her license and resorted to selling pencils to real teachers. But the truth is, she was allowed to keep her job and the little boy was transfered to another facility for the remainder of the year.

There's alot more in the news lately. Actually the headlines change almost hourly these days. Lots of angry folks saying lots of angry words. But today, I simply don't have the heart for it. About the only good news I'm finding right now is the proclaimation of God's love. He actually loves this sinful and often 'hateful' world. If it were me, I'd throw up my hands and tell the angels to bring back the flood. It's a good thing He didn't leave me in charge. Instead, He sent His very Son to die a cruel & inhumane death for us. But that's only half of the scoop ~ His Son Jesus Christ didn't stay in that tomb. HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD! And now He's with Father God in heaven waiting to get the word to come for God's children, those folks who have accepted Jesus as their Lord & Savior.

Now that's the kind of news that needs to run across the tickers and be printed boldly in the headlines all around the world!

May the Lord bless you.