On October 2, 2006, at 10 am, a mass shooting took place at an Amish schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, a rural village in Pennsylvania. A young man, married and the father of three, entered an Amish schoolhouse. He ordered all to leave, except the young Amish girls. After a standoff with the police, the man shot 10 girls, killing 5 of them, including himself.
The news of this terrific tragedy spread throughout the rolling hills of this bucolic community. Amish and non-Amish alike began to mourn for these innocent young children and their families. No one was able to understand why a person would commit such a depraved act. What drove him to do harm to his friends and neighbors, let alone innocent children?
FORGIVENESS IN ACTION
All of this was confusing and beyond comprehension. But as it turned out, it wasn’t the only thing that caused people to scratch their heads. The same afternoon after the shooting, some Amish neighbors visited the wife and children of that murderer to comfort them in their time of sorrow and pain. They wanted to express their forgiveness for the actions of a troubled man. Their forgiveness was not just a polite gesture; it was wrapped in kindness and love. The Amish even attended the funeral of the killer. Amish mourners outnumbered non-Amish. The world took notice of how the Amish reacted, and they were astonished at such grace in a time of despair. What they were seeing was forgiveness in action.
HOW MUCH FORGIVENESS?
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3:12-13). God commands us to forgive those who have committed grievance (suffering or distress) against us. What degree forgiveness? Does this just apply to the neighbor who always mows his grass early on Saturday as you are trying to sleep? Or what about your fellow worker who makes jokes about you whenever you happen to be out of the office? Or more seriously is this the man who ran over your dog and never even apologized?
Remember, you’re one of God’s chosen people, you’re holy and loved. How can you find a way to forgive that co-worker and also resolve the situation (if that is possible)? Can you do it with real compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience? All of these are difficult but not impossible.
HOW WERE YOU FORGIVEN?
What stands out in is when the Lord said, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you”. How did the Lord forgive you? Did He give you a test to find out what kind of person you are? Has He checked your credentials? Did He ask your neighbors to write you references? None of that. Just the opposite. Romans 5:10 says that when He reconciled us (He saved us) we were enemies of God! We were on the opposite side of truth.
REAL FORGIVENESS
That’s what real forgiveness is, when you choose to forgive someone because you have the humility, kindness, and compassion of Christ. We often weigh the injustices people do to us and then decide whether forgiveness is necessary. But if we follow the command of Christ, we must realize, it isn’t about the wrong someone committed. Rather, we must forgive, just as Christ has forgiven us, unconditionally. Forgiveness, just as the world saw given by the Amish in the Nickel Mines community. This makes the world notice and wonder at such grace only found through Jesus Christ.