The Last Word

Another shot rings out… another life lost… another family wrapped in grief… another moment when we wonder as a nation how we have gone so wrong. Does hate get the last word? This past week, a young husband and father was cut down in his prime as a gathering of college students watched in horror. That moment will be seared into their memories. That tragedy will forever change the lives of two young children and their mother- now a widow. Does hate get the last word? The rhetoric of our politicians has been fiery, as if the best way to fight fire is with fire. They call out the hate that inspired the assassination by calling the nation to hate their political rivals. They threaten retaliation, rather than seeking a healing path. Does hate get the last word?


Political assassination is not new to our American political landscape. We remember Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy, each assassinated while serving as President of the United States. Many of us remember the day Reagan was wounded in an assassination attempt. Those moments have scarred our nation’s memory. But today, the caustic rhetoric and the violent actions seem to have escalated. In just the last few years, we have seen our nation’s capital attacked by a violent mob, the husband of the Speaker of the House attacked in their own home, an abduction attempt on the governor of Michigan, a presidential candidate shot at a rally, a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband killed in their own home, the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg firebombed while the governor and his family slept inside, and a young political activist shot and killed at a college rally. Threats of violence leave our lawmakers fearful, seeking protection from their own fellow citizens. Democrat and Republican alike find themselves in danger. Does hate get the last word?

How many of us watch in horror as these events have unfolded on our newsfeed, feeling angry and helpless? When did violence become the preferred choice to settle our differences? Have we lost the ability to have civil discourse? Do we have any leaders who can speak peace into the war of words that has now spiraled into a war with guns and violence? Or does hate get the last word leaving us destroyed in its wake?

Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke into the hate-driven rhetoric and violence of the civil rights era in the 1960’s. He wrote:

Those words echo our Savior- who commanded us to love as He loves, even to love our enemies as He loved those who nailed Him to a cross. Notice, our Savior does not suggest that we love, He commands us to love. Though our culture has reduced ‘love’ to a vapid emotion that ebbs and wanes like waves on the sand, the love that Jesus speaks of… the love that Jesus offers… the love that Jesus calls us to share in not an emotion, it is the intentional act of the will. When we watch Jesus love, the lame walk, the blind see, the hungry eat their fill, the sinner stands forgiven. Jesus’ love is His intentional choice to speak life into the brokenness of this world. Jesus declares that hate does not get the last word. He does! Then He calls us to be His instruments in that transforming work. In Christ, we are not merely spectators, helpless in the face of hate. We are called to be His mission of grace to the world God so loves. So…

1. Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray for those who are victims of hate in our nation and for those who speak hate. Pray for justice. Pray for peace. Then allow those prayers to move and shape your actions.
2. Trust God’s Word. We know that the world is broken (Gen 3). But we also know that our God has not stepped off His throne (Psalm 103:19). There is a battle being waged for the heart and soul of our nation. But we are not left helpless. God calls us to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). Remember, Jesus is victorious! He is the last word. (Romans 8:31-39, John 16:33, I Corinthians 15:57, Matthew 19:26)
3. Guard your tongue. Be careful not to fuel the anger with your own words of judgement. Stop the words before they tumble off your lips. Ask if Jesus would say what you are about to say. Do your words heal or inflame?
4. Speak with your actions. For the next two months, Lenape Valley will be serving our community. Find your place in that mission. Speak love into hate through acts of grace. Give generously of your resources and your time. Allow God to bring healing through you. Be ambassadors of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:20).
5. Share in the concert on Sunday night. There will be joy in the house of the Lord. Bring a friend that needs that healing balm. Allow that joy to give you hope.
6. Seek God’s next step for Lenape Valley. Our God has a purpose for our faith community in His plan to heal a broken world. Join us as we seek that good purpose on Sunday, September 28th after worship. Enjoy a continental breakfast. Childcare is provided. Your voice is important. You are needed! A seat is reserved for you!

With you, declaring that Love has the last word!
Anita