Last week, Oscar Pistorius of

South Africa was charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, a beautiful model who was known to speak out against rape and the abuse of women. The news spread worldwide in a matter of a few hours.

Why would a murder in South Africa get so much media attention? The reason is that only a few months ago, in the London Olympic games, Pistorius became a national hero known as the “Blade Runner” for his participation with his high-tech artificial legs. He was the first double amputee track athlete to compete in the Olympic Games.

He immediately became a superstar, not only in his country, but worldwide. Both of Pistorius’ legs were amputated below the knees before his first birthday. I think it’s impossible to even try to imagine the struggles he fought and won during his lifetime.

He proved to be a fierce competitor who lived what most people would think an impossible dream. He was an inspiration to all who knew his story, an international hero, a winner in the game of life, that is until the predawn hours of Feb. 14. He is now accused of shooting his girlfriend four times.

People around the world are asking what could have triggered such violent behavior? My guess, only anger.

Anger is a common emotion. Jesus warns of it in Ephesians 4: 26-27. Jesus said, “Be angry, and do not sin.”

Under control, anger is normal, but out of control, it leads to sin. I’ve heard it said that anger resides in the lap of fools. The Chinese have a saying that anger is the wind that blows out the lamp of the mind. It makes a person lose their mind and do crazy, evil things, including murder.

Oscar Pistorius was able to overcome any obstacle that life dealt him to complete his dream. The sad ending to one of the most inspirational true life stories in my lifetime is that, evidently, he lost the battle of the mind with uncontrollable anger — the enemy to all of us.

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.

net.