The Amish and Forgiveness
In yesterday’s paper there is a prominent article on the Amish – first inviting the wife and children of Charles Roberts, the killer of their daughters, to attend the funerals of their children, the children he killed, and then – and this is the part that stuns me – attending his funeral.
A funeral is to mourn the victim. In a recent blog We Need to Talk About Kevin I talked about how incredibly hard it would have to be to forgive the killer of my child. When I wrote that, I was thinking of the years that it would take to achieve forgiveness in my heart, a very quiet and personal thing.
The Amish took forgiveness to a height I can barely begin to comprehend. First, to see past their own grief and reach out to the family of the killer – the family so damaged, so stigmatized – and so innocent. But in addition, to attend the funeral to honor the killer of their children? Holy Smokes. That sets a standard of forgiveness that amazes me. I just can’t wrap my mind around it.
God bless them. I wish them only well, I hope that this standard of forgiveness they demonstrated gives them true and genuine peace in their hearts. I know their example has given me something to ponder for a long long time.
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The level of forgiveness demonstrated by the Amish is attained by first realizing that we all are no better than the killer of their children. We’ve all violated every one of God’s Ten Commandments in some way or another, even “Thou shalt not kill.” In understanding the “weightier matters of the Law,” that Jesus mentioned, we find we can slay a person’s spirit with our tongue and God deems it murder; or, we indulge in pride or stubbornness or vanity and we’ve committed idolatry; and, so forth.
Second to recognizing that we all battle the same enemy, Satan, is to have “the mind of Christ.” They who obey God’s Commandments not only have the mind of Christ but also the Holy Spirit upon them; thus, they have a “good understanding of ALL things.”
Forgiveness is so liberating, freeing the forgiver from anger and hate as well as putting the forgiven in God’s capable hands. Hate and anger destroy us, not the person to whom it is directed. Forgiveness also fills us with a peace that defies the world’s understanding.
The most wonderful thing ever said to me came from a friend of over 40 years, “Bonnie, you forgive even the worst things. I don’t think I could do that.” By the grace of God go I; but, anyone can do it. They’ve only to take on the whole armor of God.
Stop by for a visit sometime at http://bonnieq.wordpress.com
Love in Christ,
BonnieQ
Truth Seekers and Speakers, link in blogroll
Unicorn Haven, link in blogroll
Wow. Bonnie, I understand every word you have said, I even understand the entire sentences. I have a vague glimmer of the idea, but I am overwhelmed by the enormity. . … I am working on it. You have a strong grasp on a bigger picture than I can manage right now, but I am working on it.. . I will stop by your website, and you need to meet another giant on your level, Joan of Arc:
http://joanofarc3.blogspot.com/
(It’s not all in English; some of it is in Arabic)