Oh, for Stirrings and Softenings!

Could there be some stirring
in those hearts of hate
those hearts as hard as slate,
so cold?
Could glimmers of care and love
begin, unfold,
and ancient wrongs of long ago
put to one side –
for bitter vengeance often lands
so wide of where intended –
provokes responding anger and return
– could they begin to learn
that “It is mine to avenge.”
says the Lord – no other
can assess and knows the essence
of the matter to
give just fair sentence,
or reform.
Defense against attack must be
but hitting back
in anger will just escalate
provoke unhappiness, injustice,
more, more hate … …

[IP: stirring]

cf “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezezkiel 36:26