t may be rare, but stories of remarkable forgiveness and grace occasionally find their way to the pages of not only Christian publications but secular newspapers and magazines as well.
Salt Lake City’s Deseret Morning News reported on May 10, 2007, that the mother of a man who had been shot and killed two years before announced in the courtroom that she had forgiven her son’s killer. “Anna Kei’aho, the mother of murder victim Lopeti Robert Kei’aho, told Third District Judge Deno Himonas that she and her family extend their love to the perpetrator . . . and to his family,”1 journalist Linda Thomson wrote. Thomson added that the mother’s statement “stunned” those in the courtroom that day.
The attitude of forgiveness the Amish in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, extended to Charles Carl Roberts, the killer of five young girls in an Amish schoolhouse last October, amazed not only the surrounding community but also those throughout the world who learned of this horrific act. ABC’s evening news anchor, Charles Gibson, wrote: “The Amish families most affected by this tragedy have responded in a way that might seem foreign to most of us: They talk about [the] school shooting only in terms of forgiveness.”2
And several news media reported the story of Ruth DePaiva, the mother of Adventist pastor Ruimar DePaiva, who, along with his wife, Margareth, and their 11-year-old son, Larrison, was murdered in the family’s Palau home just before Christmas in 2003. Only the 10-year-old daughter, Melissa, survived the tragedy. During the funeral services for this young family Ruth publicly offered forgiveness to the killer, Justin Hirosi, and sympathy for his mother.
“‘I am sure the mother of Justin has prayed so many times for her son, and I am sure her heart hurts terribly,’” Ruth reportedly said. “‘I just want to . . . let her know we will be praying for her . . . and for Justin.’”3
Many of us struggle with forgiving those who might say unkind words to us, purposely embarrass us, don’t follow through on promises, or let us down in numerous other ways. These seemingly more “petty” incidents can be very hurtful and cause genuine emotional stress. But they disappear into oblivion when we read accounts of forgiveness for some of life’s most extreme injustices.
God’s ability and readiness to forgive sin, though, amazes me most.
The Bible books of 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles record the story of King Manasseh, who took over the reign of Judah following the death of his father, Hezekiah. Manasseh was very different in character from his father, who, the Bible says, “did that which was right in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 18:3).* But Manasseh “did that which was evil” (21:2).
Manasseh’s exploits include erecting altars for Baal, leading the people of Judah to worship false gods, sacrificing his children by fire to these gods, and communing with “familiar spirits and wizards” (verse 6). In fact, we’re told “Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another” (verse 16).
Putting this into a contemporary perspective, Manasseh’s role could, perhaps, be compared to that of a conference or union president, or even president of our world church. Now that’s food for thought!
But God finally took the situation in hand and allowed the neighboring Assyrians to capture Manasseh. The victors bound him and carried him off to Babylon. Justice at last! we might gloat. But the story doesn’t end there.
Second Chronicles 33:12, 13 tells us when Manasseh “was in affliction, he besought the Lord” and “humbled himself greatly.” But can God forgive such sins, especially on the part of Judah’s leader?
Apparently, for the Lord, that isn’t a problem.
God “heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God” (verse 13).
The Lord not only forgave him but reestablished him
on his throne as Judah’s king. Amazing mercy and grace—impossible, really, for us to truly understand.
But if God is willing to forgive like this, how can we not ask Him to help us do likewise?
___________________
*All Scripture quotations in this article are from the King James Version.
_____________________________
1findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20070310/ai_n18711057/print
2abcnews.go.com/print?id=2523941.
3news.adventist.org/data/2004/00/1073403652/index.html.en____________________________________________
Sandra Blackmer is an assistant editor of the Adventist Review.
