Christians need to wake up! I’ve been reading news reports today of a man walking into a church, killing the senior pastor and injuring himself and two others with a knife when the gun jammed. What is more interesting and saddening is the outcry in comment sections of websites reporting the story is the fingerpointing, the anger and hatred that is being poured out (mostly by so-called “Christians”).
I’m not going to go on a rant how they need to be more loving, more compassionate or less hate filled. I’m just saying that mainline Christianity has failed as Christians to present Christ.
The Amish community has done a much better job at this than we have.
The emphasis on forgiveness and reconciliation in the response of the Amish community was widely discussed in the national media. The West Nickel Mines School was torn down, and a new one-room schoolhouse, the New Hope School, was built at another location. - from wikipedia
How can we reconcile? How can we forgive?
The truth of the matter is that we must do so. This is one of the basic principles of Christianity, to be Christlike, to forgive as Christ forgave us.
Let me put it another way. Jesus Christ loves the gunman who did this and the name “Christian” literally means “little Christ”, to be like Christ. Now, we don’t have the whole story or even a good description of the events that might have served as motive for this crime. But does it really matter?
Who will reach out to this man with love in their heart? Who will reach out to his family and love them? Who will write this man a letter in prison forgiving him, getting to know him, maybe even visiting him? Who will be Jesus to him now?
Do you love the gunman?
Seriously good post William. It’s driving into us all our life to be protective and tough. People deserve what they get. But Jesus didn’t condemn. He had dinner with sinners. Brought them back and redeemed them, and didn’t let them remain in their sin. Good post.