If you follow my blog then I assume that you are at least somewhat aware that last week a soldier went off base and murdered multiple villagers, mostly women and children. I don’t know what that story has done to your heart. From the news coverage from the soldier’s country I gather that there is a sense of sadness for this soldier and his family. Perhaps everyone finds it hard to believe that this man committed these awful acts, after all, he was raised in a country with higher standards, part of a fighting force with strict orders about the treatment of civilians. To that end, it might have been encouraging to read the articles in the past 2 days, after the soldier’s name was revealed. Along with his name, several stories were told about this man’s past traumas, and his current family. By the time I finished reading those articles, I saw him as a man, not just a murderer. Perhaps the same has happened for you, and perhaps we would agree that this information and perspective change helps us not lose hope in the war, in our soldiers, etc. Pause for a minute, however, and consider the remaining family members of the murder victims. They have just buried their wives, daughters, and children, including a child the same age as my boy that you all love so much. There wasn’t a makeup artist that could hide the bullet hole in that child’s head; that is the last thing that the remaining family members saw when they put that child in the ground. Pause. What does that family feel? Does that family care about the story behind that soldier?
If only, right? If only we could explain to this family that the soldier had suffered head injuries, and been on too many tours, and was wading through some family troubles back home. If only we could help them see the man, as his loved ones knew him, before he became known to the world as a murderer. Wouldn’t that somehow provide some solace for their broken hearts? Maybe not. Maybe their wounds are too raw. Maybe for a while the only thing that makes sense to the families of those victims is violent revenge. That’s unfortunate isn’t it?
If only. If only we in the west would inquire and learn more about the lives of the people that are labeled terrorists. If only we would sort out the differing motives of the different organizations, to see that few are a global threat, and the rest have only domestic agendas. If only we would ask questions about the situations into which these organizations were birthed, and understand the amount of turmoil and traumas those people have been through. If only we would see them as people: husbands, fathers, brothers of people that would probably break our hearts if we met them face-to-face and heard their stories. Wouldn’t that somehow make us more concerned about the amount of civilian causalities our troops cause there? Maybe not. Maybe 9/11 wounded us too much to see other perspectives. Maybe for a while the only thing that makes sense is violent revenge. That’s unfortunate, isn’t it?
Forgiveness sucks. I mean it’s hard. Much easier to believe our rightness and our victimization justifies our unforgiveness. If the other side can’t see us as human, why would we bother to see them as human, right?
Then one day a man came along and told people, “love your enemy.” Some of his listeners blew wine out of their noses when they heard him make that joke. Wait, he wasn’t joking. In fact, he lived love for his enemies. Take these examples:
He empathized with the sinner. He knew why people did what they did, and addressed their hearts rather than punishing their sins.
He walked with the people that did the very sins that He commanded them not to. He gave them a chance; He got to know them.
He forgave everything that they backwardly, purposely, spitefully, ignorantly did to Him, even though it literally killed him.
Who then is more equipped to forgive an enemy? Followers of this man, or those that don’t yet believe or follow Him?
Yes we would all love our enemies to come groveling to us, and we can try to force that with all the wealth and might of the world, but how can we say we follow the Savior if we don’t obey his commands? How can we say we obey his commands if we don’t love our enemy? How can we love our enemy if we don’t try to understand them, empathize with their traumas, and forgive them for their offenses to us?
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