Robert Hines

The new way of life Jesus taught included, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” in imitation of God who, sends, sun and rain on evil and good (Mt. 5:43-48). The passage came to mind when seeing this in A Civil War Treasury by B.A. Botkin, page 266.

Lee and the Wounded Soldier

I was at the Battle of Gettysburg myself, and an incident occurred there which        largely changed my views of the Southern people. I had been a most bitter anti-Southman, and fought and cursed the Confederates desperately. I could see nothing good in any of them. The last day of the fight I was badly wounded. A ball shattered my left leg. I lay on the ground not far from Cemetery Ridge, and as General Lee ordered his retreat, he and his officers rode near me. As they came along I recognized him, and, though faint from exposure and loss of blood, I raised up my hands, looked Lee in the face, and shouted as loud as I could, “Hurrah for the Union!” The General heard me, looked, stopped his horse, dismounted, and came toward me. I confess that I at first thought he meant to kill me. But as he came up he looked down at me with such a sad expression upon his face that all fear left me, and I wondered what he was about. He extended his hand to me, and grasping mine firmly and looking right into my eyes, said, “My son, I hope you will soon be well.” If I live a thousand years I shall never forget the expression on General Lee’s face. There he was, defeated, retiring from a field that had cost him and his cause almost their last hope, and yet he stopped to say words like those to a wounded soldier of the opposition who had taunted him as he passed by! As soon as the General had left me I cried myself to sleep there upon the bloody ground! A.L. Long

He saw Southerners differently from that one moment, all because of Lee’s simple kindness. It makes us think of how we as Christians are to live each day, even before those who oppose us or do not like us or even hate us! We come closer to them, unafraid, without contempt, without arrogance, in kindness. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and sound judgment” (2 Tim. 1:7).

Can we not imagine the same sort of thing when reading the Lord’s story of the good Samaritan? We may very well think that the Jewish man whom robbers left half dead (Luke 10:25-37) would never look at the hated half breed Samaritans the same way again, after experiencing the kindness of one who “had compassion on him,” of one who stopped instead of passing by, of one who helped him in his time of need.

“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, as far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rm. 12:17-21). There is great power, often untapped, in simple kindness.