Could You Forgive?

Nelson Mandela. My guess is that you've heard of him. How about Immaculee Ilibagiza? Probably not, but then again, maybe you have. She survived the Rwandan genocide of 1994. I won't tell her story here, you can read it in her books, Left to Tell and Led by Faith.

Invictus, the movie that depicts Nelson Mandela's successful attempt to unite South Africa, just happened to be the next movie in our Netflix queue and I just happened to pick up Led by Faith at the library a couple of days before Invictus showed up in our mailbox.

These stories blow my mind. I honestly can't comprehend the magnitude of pain in each story. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for twenty-six years because he fought for the oppressed. Immaculee Ilibagiza lived in a bathroom, unable to move or speak for ninety-one days while she listened to the screams of her friends, neighbors, and family as they were brutally raped and murdered. Yet both Mr. Mandela and Ms. Ilibagiza speak of forgiveness - not of revenge or retribution, not of anger, hatred, or bitterness.

"Love your enemy." When it gets down to it, I'm pretty sure most of us would agree that it's one of those easy-to-talk-about-but-not-so-easy-to-do things. In truth, I have trouble loving the person who cuts me off when I'm late for work. And if you think you're fairly easy-going and forgiving, just wait until someone hurts one of your children. I guarantee you, it's not pretty. I can't stop thinking about these stories - how in the world could I ever forgive someone who brutally, viciously, attacked and murdered not just one person I love but pretty much everyone I love? Or how could I even take the first step towards forgiving someone who took twenty-six years of my life away from me? Who separated me from my family for twenty-six years? Who took twenty-six years of my freedom? I don't think I . . . no, I know I couldn't do it.

. . . but God who is rich in mercy . . .

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