Dec. 8, 2009 — After the war

By late 1863, after many Union victories, President Abraham Lincoln knew it was time to start planning for when the Civil War would be over.

On Dec. 8, he announced his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction, with generous terms for former Confederate soldiers and rebel states. Some in Lincoln's own party criticized it as being too lenient.

But Lincoln knew that after the bloodshed the nation had suffered, only forgiveness, not retribution, would truly reunite the country.

Well our world and our relationships are full of the ways we mess up, hurt others and others hurt us. God is always pushing us to resist getting even – and to take a higher road toward reuniting.

Just a thought. I'm Sid Batts from First Presbyterian Church in downtown Greensboro, fpcgreensboro.org.