Could I Kill?
My granddaughter, Tia wrote an amazing blog recently. Not only is she a totally talented word crafter, she can be extremely thought provoking at times. This time after considering the effects of war on people called on to fight, she was searching her soul (and inviting her readers to do likewise) to discover if, under certain (or any) circumstances, she had it in her to actually, knowingly kill another human being.
Initially, I thought I knew my answer: I could kill to save a life, mine or someone else's; I could kill in defense of my country or another sufficiently worthy cause. Then I considered more diligently my own history in that regard and began to wonder...
Long ago, a man molested Tia's mom and I went to his hotel room with every intent of blowing him into eternity. I knocked on the door. The 357 was in my hand. My finger was on the trigger, and oh, so ready to pull. But when he opened the door, I simply flipped the weapon, handed it to him butt first and walked away. God defused my rage and granted me the wisdom to know my children would only suffer more if I were in prison.
During my truck driving days, I was twice robbed at knife point. Although I kept a loaded revolver strapped along the right side of my driver's seat, on neither occasion did I reach for it. Again, God stayed my hand with the understanding that my material things are not worth a human life.
Settling such accounts is the business of the Almighty. He will either forgive the penitent, for whom He has already paid the debt, or allow the unrepentant to reap the harvest they've sown.
On further self examination, however, I do feel my initial assessment was right on. I could indeed kill to protect a life or in service to my country or like cause. I pray I am never called on to do so, and should it ever be, I would be forever changed, but I really have no doubt about this part of who I am.
Initially, I thought I knew my answer: I could kill to save a life, mine or someone else's; I could kill in defense of my country or another sufficiently worthy cause. Then I considered more diligently my own history in that regard and began to wonder...
Long ago, a man molested Tia's mom and I went to his hotel room with every intent of blowing him into eternity. I knocked on the door. The 357 was in my hand. My finger was on the trigger, and oh, so ready to pull. But when he opened the door, I simply flipped the weapon, handed it to him butt first and walked away. God defused my rage and granted me the wisdom to know my children would only suffer more if I were in prison.
During my truck driving days, I was twice robbed at knife point. Although I kept a loaded revolver strapped along the right side of my driver's seat, on neither occasion did I reach for it. Again, God stayed my hand with the understanding that my material things are not worth a human life.
Settling such accounts is the business of the Almighty. He will either forgive the penitent, for whom He has already paid the debt, or allow the unrepentant to reap the harvest they've sown.
On further self examination, however, I do feel my initial assessment was right on. I could indeed kill to protect a life or in service to my country or like cause. I pray I am never called on to do so, and should it ever be, I would be forever changed, but I really have no doubt about this part of who I am.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home