By Allen White
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
Matthew 23:29-32
It’s human nature to remember things as better than they really were. Maybe that’s how we survive. Maybe that’s how we reconcile past horrors in our minds. As my friends in recovery say, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.”
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day sought to honor the prophets that their ancestors actually martyred. Jesus recognized that these religious folks were cut from the same cloth. After all, the apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. While they honored the slain prophets, they would soon crucify the Savior.
There are many things we’d like to forget about. In fact, scientific research is advancing toward removing bad memories from our minds. But, if we forget the horrors of war or the evils of slavery or the terror of holocaust, what will keep human beings from repeating these acts?
For many of us, there are things in our family history that we’re not especially proud of. While we can’t choose our family, we can choose to live our lives differently. This doesn’t happen by pretending that everything is okay. This happens by hard work.
Each of us has a choice. Will we pass on the suffering, prejudice, abuse, attitudes or disobedience to the next generation or will we choose to stop these things in our generation? Do we want the next generation to carry the burden we carry? Or should these things die with us?
Your family history is not your fault. You didn’t choose it. You didn’t create it. You had no control over it. Yet, you have a choice to continue what you were taught by word and example or to make a difference. It’s up to you.
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