When
I first saw the horror of another mass shooting flash across my screen, like so
many others I crumpled in disbelief. “A church . . .” I thought, “that could
have been at my church.” Truly, there is no safe place anymore. Not even the
house of God, where Scripture is read, prayers are sent heavenward and souls changed.
As
the story unfolded I began to I wonder what went through the kid’s mind as he
sat in the basement room at Emanuel AME church in Charleston, SC receiving the
hospitality of those who had so many reasons for suspicion and fear. I wonder,
as he heard them read the Bible and pray and welcome him into their lives, if
he thought for a moment about not killing them. According to news reports,
Dylann Roof told police that he “almost didn’t go through with it because
everyone was so nice to me.” Almost.[1]
Yet,
this young man gave in to the hate and racism that blackened his heart long
before he pulled the trigger. Unspeakable evil like this has no rational
explanation, except maybe demonic possession, and anyone who denies human
depravity is, well, in denial. Anyone who thinks we as a human race are
progressing toward utopia has forgotten that racism is to social progress what
cockroaches are to nuclear fallout—extraordinarily resilient.
But,
you know what was more baffling to the media and the watching world than even
nine dead bodies? The forgiveness that poured forth from the victims’ families.
Did you see the video — them pleading with Dylann Roof through tears? They said
they forgave him — the emotionless, gaunt figure who, days earlier police said,
“screamed profanities and hate speech while shooting with deadly accuracy.” And
the crimson pools that stained the floors didn’t stop him from noticing that their
blood was the same color as his.
One
after another, the relatives of the slain, begged Roof to turn to God. One
after another, they prayed for his soul. One after another, they forgave him. It
was neither expected nor explicable. Such forgiveness is unseen in the animal
world and nonsensical to common human nature. Such forgiveness in humanity is
when we tread closest to the example of our Lord Jesus who cried from the
cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do!”
One
thing that we learn from this crisis is that forgiveness in the face of evil is
often more shocking than the wicked deed itself. Somehow, through the power of
Christ, the one offering pardon is able to absorb the evil being doled out and
transform it into something greater. Forgiveness stops the cycle of hate and destroys
evil by agape.
As
one journalist wrote, “In a world where evil can seem unstoppable, these
families from Charleston have demonstrated that there is still hope. Hope not
only in the good fight against racism, prejudice and evil, but hope also in the
good that overwhelms evil.
Good
sometimes overcomes evil via counter-intuitive forces: compassion, mercy and
forgiveness.”[2]
I’m
not trying to sounds trite here, but I’ve often thought that forgiveness may be
the most powerful choice God endowed upon humanity. Through the practice of
pardon we can be like Jesus and unleash the Gospel on a hurting world. “Be kind
and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you” (Eph. 4:32). -DM
[1]
John Ortberg, “The Almost Alternate Ending in Charleston,” Leadership Journal June 2015
<http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2015/june-web-exclusives/almost-alternate-ending-at-emanuel-ame.html?utm_source=gallireport&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=13336009&utm_content=364584640&utm_campaign=2013&start=1>
[2] John
S. Dickerson, “Charleston Victims Wield Power of Forgiveness,” USA Today, 22 June 2015
<http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/06/21/charleston-church-shooting-families-forgiveness-column/29069731/>
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