Have You Thought About This...

There is an attitude…something…that seems to have been unleashed in the world, in that certain people feel free to injure, harm or kill innocents, because they are angry with someone or something else.

This is occurring with greater and greater frequency. The World Trade Center bombings; attempted genocides; hijacked airplanes; school massacres; individuals kidnapped and terrorized by someone hating America; fathers killing their own children to get back at the mother; dozens maimed or killed in bombings because someone is angry politically. The list goes on and on.

It is a new phenomenon. There have always been killers who acted in direct retaliation to their hurt. Like taking out a school principal because he angered that person. But it did not include killing half the kids who were his schoolmates.

The bombings often make absolutely no sense. Example: going into a public building in Iraq and blowing up men, women and children of your own faith and race, because you are angry with Americans.

This week’s Amish situation was a classic example of someone who was angry because of wrongs done to him or by him in the past, so he deliberately went out and killed innocents.

It is remarkable that the Amish can extend forgiveness. That will definitely be a major part of their healing from this travesty. But I think God will somehow extract justice.

I have learned something in recent years that I find life changing. Sin and evil are not synonymous. All evil is sin. But all sins are not evil. Evil is in a category of its own. Sin (human failures, wrong choices, human weaknesses etc.) is totally forgivable and forgiven by God when forgiveness is sought. And ANY person can be redeemed upon confession of his sin or evil. But evil itself requires justice. God is a just God. That is why Christians, can personally forgive someone, and yet require just penalty for evil. There are sins of personal failure and weakness. But where evil is deliberately perpetrated against others (Saddam Hussein/Bin Ladin/ Hitler, etc. as examples.) it must be judged. Evil requires justice. Sin is personal, before God. Evil directly harms another person(s). God hates evil. God loves the sinner. We all sin, but we do not all create evil. Satan did, and he will never be redeemed.
So although I admire the Amish in their offering of forgiveness and know that this is imperative to bring healing to themselves and their families, I am not at all sure that is what God would require toward this act of violence. The world looks on and stands in amazement at the compassion and offering of forgiveness in this community. It is appropriate. But I think if there were more of an understanding of the difference between human sin and deliberate evil, and that the forgiveness is meant to set the forgiver free and brings healing, there would be less perplexity in the minds of observers.