By Jeremy Caverley
After
the successful transition of another musical and classical literary piece, the
new version of Les Misérables holds true to its roots. Many flocked on
Christmas day to watch the new film, and left with tears in their eyes, and their
hearts changed to believe that as man truly wants change from his past his life
and does just that, he in turn starts to give to others.
However,
what about here today in America, can we find thieves and vandals getting a
second chance?
Can
we find this simple yet difficult act known as forgiveness and a second chance?
Let us look at a few churches and people doing just that!
Instead
of a church "suing" the people who took their belongings, they ask if
they can help!
"We just want to know, what do you
need? Was there a need like were you trying to pay rent or put food on the
table, or clothes, cause that’s what we're here for. We don’t want to turn you
into the police, we want to help you out." (wishtv.com)
On
the other hand, how about how a pastor who preaches forgiveness of vandals and
their wrong doing, Pastor Atcheson is doing just that!
Atcheson and the 80-member congregation of Longview’s historic church are still figuring out how to cope almost a week after their sanctuary was broken into and trashed. Among other damage, vandals burned their hymn books and Bibles and defaced their piano. Volunteers started cleaning up the mess Thursday. It took them the next three days to get the church ready.
“After five days of prayer, I received no answer,” he told his congregation. “I don’t know why someone did this, but I do need to know how to forgive them.”
“What happened shows how destructible and finite the natural world is. But your faith and capacity to forgive does not have to be that way or be easily destroyed like a flower arrangement, or easily burned like a hymn book.”
“The hardest part for me is to understand that there’s that element in our society that can jeopardize goodness, spirituality and the property of others,” Antilla said after the Sunday service. “Forgiveness is an individual option. We can forgive, or we can feel bitter or insecure. But we choose to carry on.”
“The best thing I can say is God brings beauty out of ashes, and I pray for the (vandals’) salvation,” Sinclair said. “If we want forgiveness, we have to forgive. That’s what the Lord expects from us.” (TDN.COM)
THEN you have robbers giving back to a
KMART in OHIO!
"Please accept this money order in repayment," the man wrote. "Your acceptance would be most appreciated. I am now God's child." (HuffingtonPost.com)
Can we follow their example today as the
Bible Says?
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your
sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they are red like
crimson, they shall become like wool.
Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you
So
this new year, why not make your resolution to forgive others, and most of all,
forgive yourself.
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