One of the most powerful expressions of faith a Christian can make is an act of forgiveness.
We recall the entangled compassion and strength of Jesus on the cross, when he beheld the very people putting him to death and said,
“Father, forgive them. They know not what they do” (Luke 23:24).
The first time Tim heard about religion was in History class. His public-school teacher gave a lesson on different world religions and Tim was captivated. He’d never really considered religion before, but it seemed to have something to do with purpose and meaning – things he found himself longing for. At the end of the class he expected the teacher to tell them all which worldview was the correct one. But that didn’t happen. He left without knowing how to even pursue answers to the questions in his heart.
A short time later, a friend invited Tim to an event hosted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It was a Bible study held in the home of one of his classmates, and her father, Al, was the leader of the group (In fact, he was the chaplain for the Portland Trailblazers).
It was the first time Tim heard and understood the gospel. He realized he could have a relationship with the creator of the world, who had a plan for his life.
Tim rushed home to tell his Dad the good news he’d just learned, but he didn’t get the response he was expecting. His Dad just nodded, and looked a little concerned.
The FCA Bible study had a big impact on Tim’s life. He found a connection to Scripture that he had never known before. He experienced community with other Christians, and mentorship from the Bible study leaders. They read through the book of Acts, and even before he fully understood what it meant to be a missionary, Tim had a feeling that his future would involve going to the nations.
While Tim was part of this Bible study, something tragic happened. The daughter of the Bible study leader – Tim’s classmate – was killed by a drunk driver. On the day of her memorial service, a group of people were standing outside the church together. It was a warm, sunny day as people gathered. Tim and several of his classmates were there, along with the girl’s family, and her father, Al.
Suddenly, the person responsible for the accident showed up outside the church. Tim felt the tension of that moment rise, and he had another feeling, too. He felt like he was about to learn something important about what it means to be a Christian.
The man approached Al and expressed how sorry he was for what had happened. Right there, on the day of his daughter’s memorial service.
Al faced the man who had killed his daughter and said three words: “I forgive you.”
Then he pulled the young man into a hug.
Al’s response of grace and forgiveness in that moment solidified something for Tim. He knew for certain that this Christianity thing was real.
Colossians 3 reminds us,
“The Lord forgave you, so you must also forgive each other” (3:13).
It tells us to “clothe ourselves” with the love of Christ, and allow his peace to rule in our hearts (3:14-15). These things can sound almost like platitudes. But then the rubber meets the road of life.
That moment of forgiveness outside a memorial service had powerful reverberations. When we forgive, we minister the peace of Jesus to people in desperate need of it. And we also free ourselves from the weight of carrying an angry or grief-stricken grudge. We model the love of Christ, bearing witness to the reality of his power, authority, and love.
Christ forgave us. Let us go and do likewise. Who knows how far the ripples of that forgiveness will extend?
