Changing Hearts

Several years ago there was a story in the news about two men living in Lincoln, Nebraska. One of them, a man named Larry Trapp, was wheelchair-bound and had been diagnosed with a fatal disease. Larry was also bound, not only by disease but also by crippling hatred. He was a Grand Dragon in the Nebraska Ku Klux Klan, and most recently been directing his hatred toward a Jewish cantor named Michael Weisser. Larry harassed Michael with threatening phone calls and a slew of hate mail, ultimately trying to get him to leave the community. Michael decided to confront his tormentor, and with great courage, he picked up the phone and called Larry.

“I just kept leaving messages on his answering machine,” says Michael, “until finally one day, Larry Trapp, in a fit of anger, picked up the phone.” ‘What do you want?’ he said. ‘You’re harassing me! My phone’s got a tap on it.’”

“I was real quiet and calm,” says Michael. “I said I knew he had a hard time getting around and thought he might need a ride to the grocery store. Trapp got completely quiet, and all the anger went out of his voice. He replied, ‘I’ve got that taken care of, but thanks for asking.'”

The powerful end of the story is that the two men eventually became friends. Mr. Weisser and his wife would have Larry, the former grand dragon in the KKK, over for dinner. Amazing! Eventually, Larry decided to devote the time he had left to freeing others from the destructive power of hatred and bigotry.

What a beautiful story.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said: “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love; can do that.”

Let us pray: Gracious God, we thank you for Michael Weisser’s courage and for his example to us. With so much anger and hatred in the world around us, help us to be instruments of your grace and love. And by doing so, may we dispel darkness and change hearts. We pray today in the name of the One who came as the Light of the World. Amen.