“I forgive you!” These are powerful words that most would find extremely difficult to say to a man who took the life of a loved one. These are the words that were spoken by family members who experienced the shock and grief of discovering their loved ones were victims in a Bible study shooting at Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina. These are the words which were directed toward the perpetrator, Dylann Roof.
Uncommon Grace
We are shocked at the severity of Dylann’s crime. Equally shocking is the response of the victims’ family members toward Dylann. Nadine Collier told Roof, “You took something very precious from me, but I forgive you. It hurts me. You hurt a lot of people, but may God forgive you.” Another gentleman, Anthony Thompson, exhorted Roof: “Repent. Confess. Give your life to the one who matters the most, Christ, so He can change your ways no matter what happens to you and you’ll be okay.”
After such expressions, Christianity Today editor Michael Wear wrote with surprise, “Some of those who expressed righteous indignation at the disgusting right-wing attempts to invent motivations for Roof — rather than accept his explicitly racist statements and beliefs as his motivation — now refuse to take the family members seriously when they say it is a sincere, thought-out expression of their faith.” It is shocking that some do not understand how hurting people who lost loved ones could utter such words of compassion.
History records many who have in the past experienced freedom through forgiving those who have mistreated them or even taken the life of a loved one. It is unexplainable. It is nearly impossible — and I do not boldly state that my response would be the same if the lives of my loved ones were taken in an act of such cruelty. But I hope with all sincerity I could, through the grace of God, take such a stand.
Freely Forgiving as Freely Forgiven
My concern is even greater as I think about those who dared to look for alternative motives among the nine victims’ family members, questioning both the authenticity of their compassion and the power of God to carry out this work in their hearts. But Christians understand the greatness of the power of their God who, Paul writes, . . . is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us. (Ephesians 3:20, NASB)
It was this same God whose own Son hung, bled, and died on a cross for our sins. It seems unexplainable that, upon enduring the agony of the cross, this Son would look upon those who had put Him there and say words of compassion: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:34, KJV) This same God can touch our hearts so that we forgive in the face of great injustice. Are you willing to let Him love others through you today?
By Dr. L.W. Edwards
0 Comments