Amish Grace - Forgiveness 101

Photo found here

I recently saw the movie, Amish Grace, for the first time.  It is an emotionally difficult movie to watch but worth it none the less.  I have always been fascinated with the Amish.  Their simple way of life, humility, gentleness are incredibly honorable.  The movie is based upon the Amish schoolhouse shooting on October 2, 2006.  That day five girls were killed and 5 more badly injured. 

photo found here

 The news of the massacre shocked the nation but how the Amish reacted to the killing of their innocent children was even more astounding.  How they, just hours after the massacre, extended their forgiveness and compassion on the grieving and confused wife and father of the killer.

The mother of one of the girls killed really struggles with the issue of forgiveness and is almost ready to leave the Amish community.  Her husband says this to their struggling daughter,
 "Hate is a very big, very hungry thing... with lots of sharp teeth. It will eat up your whole heart, and leave no room left for love."

And this to his angry wife,
"It is not easy to forgive, Ida. The Lord does not ask us to walk an easy path... But this I know - faith when everything is as you want it to be is not true faith. It is only when our lives are falling apart that we have the chance to make our faith real..."

Wow . . . I just don't think it could be said more succinctly.

It really convicted me of the times I harbor some resentment towards someone over something pretty minor for more than a day.  And I wonder, how quickly would I have extended my forgiveness if my child had just been murdered?  Could I forgive?  I don't know.

But this I do know, there is nothing more beautiful than obeying God's commandments as the Amish did in forgiving their enemy.   It didn't immediately remove their pain but it allowed God to heal their hearts.

Shalom.