A few days after arriving on the campus of Texas A&M University in 1984, Bruce Goodrich was awakened at 2 a.m. Upperclassmen roused him out of bed to initiate him into the Corps of Cadets, a military-style training program.

Bruce was forced to exercise and run several miles in hot and humid conditions. When he eventually collapsed, he was told to get up and keep going. He collapsed again, went into a coma, and died later that same day. The students who mistreated Bruce were put on trial and charged with causing his death.

Bruce's father wrote a letter to the administration, faculty, and student body. He didn't excuse the cruel injustice of what happened to his son, but he said: "I would like to take this opportunity to express the appreciation of my family for the great outpouring of concern and sympathy from Texas A&M University and the community over the loss of our son Bruce. . . . We harbor no ill will . . . . [He] is now secure in his celestial home. When the question is asked, 'Why did this happen?' perhaps one answer will be, 'So that many will consider where they will spend eternity.'"

Trusting in the sovereignty of God can turn outrage into compassion and hatred into concern.  — Haddon W. Robinson