The Gospel in Marxist Language

The paper was dirty, torn at the edges. The black ink marched across the page in an almost-illegible scrawl. At the bottom, the letter was signed—Ricardo.

    “I write from a Communist guerrilla camp in Peru. Recently, I searched for some radio programs to cheer me up. The hate-filled programs of my comrades were empty to me. Then I came across your program, ‘The Gospel in Marxist Language.’ You said that Jesus, the great teacher, talked about pardoning one’s enemies.

    “That passage drove itself into the deepest part of my being. Suddenly, I experienced peace, and I wept like a child. I don’t understand what has happened.

    “My parents had been victims of an exploiting landowner, and I had hated the rich all my life. But for some reason, I don’t hate anymore. I can’t explain it. Is it possible for me not to hate?

    “That was the first time I heard your program. How happy I have become. Now I shall not miss a single one. I want to read the book you spoke about.”

    Later, Ricardo left the guerrillas to join a church. Two years later, he returned to the camp, hoping to tell his former comrades about his Savior. He has not been heard from since. If he died, he did so with love for those who killed him.

One of human nature’s most poisonous emotions is hatred. It has been compared to an acid that eats through its own container. Those who hate soon find themselves destroyed by their own bitterness. However, a believer has a spiritual nature that can be victorious over one’s natural inclinations. Jesus shows people how to have love for their enemies, and they are changed as a result. The transformation can happen so quickly that the convert does not know where the years of built-up hatred went! Are you poisoning your own soul with hatred? Do vengeful thoughts keep you awake at night? Turn to Jesus for healing from hatred. Pardon your offenders today and find hope for tomorrow.