“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60) That was Stephen’s last cry before he was stoned to death. Stephen isn’t in the bible very long, but short time he is inspires me. He stood up for what he believes knowing that he could be persecuted, and right before he was killed, he acted just like Jesus did when he was on the cross. (Luke 23:34)
Reading stories like these makes me question myself. How would I react if someone were to do something against me? Would I stand up for what I believe in? Would I be able to forgive that person? Could I show them the Love and grace of the Father?
Since staring the race I have read through these stories a few times. Each time I find myself telling God that I want to act that way. I want to show his love and grace in all aspects of my life.
Well, I guess God heard me becuase I had an oppurtunity to do so. I wasn’t being stoned, or anything like that, but there was an incident.
Our house was broken into and a lot of our things were stolen.
It was a typical Thursday afternoon and we just finished our post minisrty meeting. The team split up. Some needed internet to send emails, post cards, and upload projects. Lyndi Jo and I went to the market to buy food for dinner. We arrived home and Lyndi Jo went to unlock the gate, but stopped what she was doing.
“Mac, I think the house was broken into.”
I looked through an opening in the gate to see the metal bars on the window peeled back.
Neither of us had a phone, so we walked back to our ministry down the street to use their phone. The cops and the home owner were called, and in a few minutes they both showed up. We got in the home owners car and made our way back to the house. Crime scene investagators, and detectives were already there looking for evidence and finger prints. I stood outside the house for a few minutes praying and prepared myself for what I might see.
Our room was ransacked.
It looked like a tornado had hit it. Backpacks in the middle of the room, purses emptied, and everything else not in it’s typical place. I looked on my shelf to find my laptop missing. Honestly I wasn’t upset. I was just so happy no one was home or hurt.
Thirty minutes or so passed and the whole team was back at the house. I was expecting tension to be high because some of my teammates were missing a lot of stuff, but they weren’t. Everyone was calm. We heard people talking in the front yard so we made our way there to find more cops with a teenage boy. He was one of the robbers. He was so young. His face was full of anger. My heart broke for him.
So many thoughts were running through my head, but the one that seemed to keep coming up was how can I show him love and grace?
A few more minutes passed and two more of the robbers were brought in the yard.
“We should pray for them,” said Justin. Without hesitations the whole team grabbed hands and started praying for them from a distance.
I don’t remember exatly what I said, but I do remember telling the Lord to forgive them, and asking that they could feel his love and grace in that moment.
I wasn’t able to talk to the teenagers that commited the crime, but I know they saw/heard us praying for them. I will never know if their lives will turn around, but I do know that in that moment they saw the love of God and his grace. I am believing that in that moment the Lord spoke to them. I am believing that the way we acted in the Father’s love planted a seed in their lives. I am believing that the Lord is wrecking their hearts.
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. …….But Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
-Luke 6:27-28, 35-36
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. -Ephesians 4:32
