Only a few weeks ago I watched a film that would really challenged my own beliefs when it comes to forgiveness. Of course I knew you needed to forgive, but I thought you could wait until you got over the initial hurt or grief, and then forgive. Amish Grace, put out in 2010 is a film about the Amish in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania
*It was Oct. 2006 when Charles entered the school, barricaded himself and 10 of the girls in the school house shot the girls and killed himself. Five of the girls died in that attack, one was left ‘vegetative’. The movie shows a small group of Amish men going to the house of Mrs. Roberts soon after the shooting and extending forgiveness to the widow and her now deceased husband- and in the movie, one of the dads who just lost a child (or 2) goes with them!
Watching I thought, well that’s a bit much, expecting a man to forgive right after the murder occurred; that isn’t very sensitive to his feelings. Weird how we always think feelings are the best determinant of anything… Anyway, one of the men says something about God forgives us so we must forgive others. Still, I’m thinking- but right after the shooting?
Then I remembered Jesus saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” while He was dying- in pain with blood pouring down, the criminal execution of an innocent man (Lk. ). Then there is Stephen who upon being stoned cried out these last words, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Ac. 7:60). These people weren’t following the belief that ‘forgiveness is for you, not the other person’, but rather ‘as I am forgiven by a merciful God, so I must extend forgiveness to others’.
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Mt. 6:15
To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 2Co ,11
We are commanded to forgive or we will not be forgiven- that’s what it says. And, it is talking about unintentional and intentional transgressions! In other words, whether we think the person deserves it, whether or not they did great evil, no matter the motives involved, we are to forgive. We don’t have to feel it first, or see their remorse for they will stand before the living God for their own actions to be judged; we will face Him for ours. We must forgive or the door will be open to the wiles of the enemy.
Gone in a Heartbeat tells the true story of a 2007 shooting in Colorado Springs at New Life church where a gunman, Matthew Murray, shot two girls- Stephanie (18 and a twin) and Rachel Works (16), killing the elder one immediately (the other died in hospital), shot and seriously wounded the father, and then continued on into the church. The mother and two other daughters were not shot. One of the daughters who watched the shooting right beside her instantly forgave the shooter though one sister’s dead body lay near her and the other wounded.
These people are great examples of the forgiveness Christ showed. So when we think we cannot forgive, we can, and we must. No, it is not easy, but because we have been forgiven we must (despite our feelings, beliefs, and who deserves what) extend forgiveness like the Amish and the Works family, and just like Jesus did while He died on the cross for our sins though we did not deserve it. Forgiveness is a choice and an act of obedience, not a feeling.
*I haven’t researched enough to know what in the film is accurate to life, but my response was to that which was portrayed in the film.