Alan,
Sam saw beyond the immediate problem of the man pointing the gun, and saw the answer that the man was seeking, and gave it to him. The man sinned, and hopefully, he learned, from Sam. It is entirely unnecessary that the man be jailed and punished, which is deemed to "teach someone a lesson" if they have already gotten it. It is equally unnecessary for Sam to track down and kill the man who pointed the gun at him in blood sacrifice and vengeance.
Sam knows the meaning of forgiveness. Your Yeshua is no more necessary to the process than were the police. It is simply a perception of what is right in this world, instead of what is wrong and needing to be punished. It is about healing, and not punishment.
Those that revel in sacrifice seek punishment, and in so doing, lose the possibility of healing.
There was a woman on tv the other day. Her head was filleted open by a vicious attack, yet she survived. Her father, a minister, did not. Her father had told her that if he was ever murdered, that he would not wish to see the one who killed him receive the death penalty. He had too great a respect for life, and not just his own.
His daughter honors his vision every day by going into court to fight for the life of her father's killer. This woman could have become exceptionally bitter and destroyed her outlook on life over this event. Instead, she chooses to honor life and her father. This woman has truly learned the meaning of compassion and healing. And she seeks to grant the same to her attacker, the killer of her father.
It does not matter if she is able to heal the killer, she is healing herself in honoring life, and not dwelling in death.
I do not know that my faith is that strong, but what I do know is that this woman is an inspiration to us all, and believes in a God of love and light, not sacrifice, fear, and retribution.
Peace,
Darrin |
