2 Peter 1:10 (New International Version)
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to
confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never
stumble,
Branau am Inn is a simple yet attractive town in upper
Austria. Its rustic stores are neatly lined up with fashioned displays, the
church steeple proudly towers above the skyline, and flowers decorate the
streets, the remains of medieval walls, and the houses, some of which date back
to the 16th and 17th centuries.
This quiet little town can also be found in the history
books, for it hosts the birthhouse of one rather well-known name from the past:
Adolph Hitler. Adolph, the 4th child of Klara and Alois Hitler, was the only
one in the family to make the history books. His dad, a hard-working man, held
considerable status in the Austrian custom services and he provided well for
his family's needs.
Adolph was a medium student, whose only ambition in life
was to become an artist. Unfortunately, this ambition did not please his
father. He eventually left school with the equivalent of a ninth grade
education, and his 1907 application to the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts was
denied. It seems that Adolph was "unqualified" for their programs.
After both of his parents had passed away, Adolph lived
on his inheritance, as well on an orphan fund, which required that he continue
his studies. He pretended to do just that, but he was unwilling to work, and
after exhausting all of his money, Adolph ended up in a homeless shelter.
Between 1910 and 1913 Adolph painted and sold postcards
and pictures. He also began debating his unique ideas with others in the
shelter. He failed to register for the Austrian draft and ended up fleeing to
Munich, Germany. He eventually was extradited back to Austria, but was then
rejected by the army as physically unfit.
When World War I broke out, Adolph volunteered for the
German army. While he laid in the hospital, temporarily blinded by mustard gas,
Germany was declared defeated. It was at that time that he began to blame Jews
for the defeat of Germany, and he decided to enter politics in order to save
the country.
Little by little Hitler began developing his speaking
skills, and he eventually rose to power and changed the world with his
ambitions. This led to World War II, and it has been estimated that between 50
and 70 million people were killed during this atrocious War.
How could someone from such a quiet little town grow up
to make the kinds of choices made by Adolph Hitler? Interestingly, it was just
one decision leading to another, but these affected the world.
Our own actions are no different. We may think that our
petty sins have no consequences on anyone, but they do. Think about it:
families are destroyed, children become estranged and people are herded into a
life of hell. All because of one wrong action that lead to another.
Beauty may surround us. We may even be attending church
regularly. But if we live for ourselves instead of for God, we will eventually
cause damage that will affect not only ourselves, but our loved ones as well.
True love cannot co-exist with selfishness. It is impossible.
If in doubt about the consequences of your actions,
consider Adolph Hitler's life. He had a promising future, but his choices
didn't fulfill him.
Are our lives making a difference to others, or are we
just barely trying to exist? Are others blessed by our decisions, or do our
decisions hurt them? In the hereafter, will we be received with open arms or
with disdain?
Dear Lord we pray that the decisions we make today and
each day that follows would be decisions that bring others to You and not turn
them away. In Jesus’ name.
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