"You can prevent the next holocaust."
These words fluttered through my mind as I was praying one morning in mid-December. As I considered their implications, I thought about what may have happened if Hitler had encountered the kingdom of God early in his life. What if someone had shown him the love and power of God as a young man? What if he had encountered the Lord Jesus and made a radical commitment to Him?
Well, we probably wouldn't have had the Holocaust.
Adolf Hitler, who had an amazing gift of leadership, would have left a very different mark on world history.
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The day after I had this thought come to mind, America was rocked by the devastating mass murder of 20 children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. As a nation, we were angry, confused, and above all, deeply saddened by the tragedy of so many precious lives lost.
In my processing, my mind returned to the phrase I had heard a day earlier: "You can prevent the next holocaust". I thought about the shooter at Sandy Hook. What kind of person does that? How much pain does one have to have in his life to think that it could possibly be a good idea to open fire on Kindergartners?
Again, I thought about how history might be different if this young man had experienced the authentic love, mercy and power of God early in life.
(Disclaimer: I understand that there are important societal issues to address. Mental health care, increased school security, and stricter gun-control laws are all topics of discussion right now. I am not advocating that we ignore the logical steps that must be taken to increase safety and prevent future tragedies.)
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My resolve: to love the unlovable, the outcast of society. I will treat each person I come across with dignity, respect, and honor. I will love sacrificially those who could never repay me. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I will pray for them and show them the reality of His kindness and power when I have opportunity to do so. Who knows, maybe I will minister to someone, and the course of that person's life will be redirected to be an agent of life rather than death.
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God's invitation to us is simple: Love the one in front of you. Show people kindness no matter whether you think they deserve or not. If you are a Christian and the opportunity is right, offer to pray for them. Who knows, maybe you will sow seeds of love in someone's heart that will blossom into a tree that produces life wherever they go. Your love shown to one person could alter the course of world history in ways we couldn't even imagine.
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***I do NOT believe that there is another Holocaust coming. I believe God was using that phrase to get my attention. (It worked.)
