Not even the Olympics seem able to reunite America as one nation. The news coverage seems to focus on controversy and contempt. Contempt for this country. Contempt for the athletes who fail to win, or win and fail to respect the flag. It’s a shame and disgrace on so many levels.

Sadly, the controversy and contempt are a continuation of the division and debate about civil rights, segregation and slavery. Sometimes it seems as if we’re on the verge of another Civil War. Obviously none of us were around then so let’s focus on the reality of the Confederate rebellion and its great cost. About 620,000 soldiers died in that conflict along with untold numbers of civilians. It was the bloodiest war in American history; perhaps in payment for the blood of untold numbers of people who had been enslaved and died in the building of the nation.

When we study the story of Absalom’s rebellion against his father David there’s a tendency to focus solely on David and Absalom and forget there was a bloody civil war. Clearly they are the main characters, but in focusing on them we can inadvertently pass over a key passage that demonstrates why Absalom’s actions were so despicable. The text says “there was a great slaughter there that day”. It describes a civil war where father was fighting son, brother was fighting brother, and 20,000 men died (2 Samuel 18:6-8). Those 20,000 dead were men who were husbands, fathers and sons. Their death left many widows, orphans and parents permanently deprived of their love and support.

David’s sin with Bathsheba led to the death of her husband, her son, the rape of David’s daughter, the death of two more of David’s sons and 20,000 men. The American slave trade led to the systematic rape and slaughter of untold numbers of Africans that was only stopped by the death of 620,000 soldiers, and an untold numbers of civilians. Segregation perpetuated a racism that systematically oppressed millions of black Americans. Planned Parenthood is part of an abortion business that has killed over 60,000,000 innocents since 1973.

Contempt for human life, for each other, always leads to suffering and death. Every sin arises from contempt for life. Either our own or someone else’s, or our Lord’s life that was taken on the cross because of our sin. So, the next time we try to excuse sin, whether our own or another’s, remember it carries a high cost. Who are we willing to let die, besides ourselves, by choosing to sin? Let’s turn away from contempt for others and call for unity around the cross of Jesus Christ. Let his death, and life, join us as one people.