Tears were rolling down my face as I got off the phone with Moon tonight. He just schooled me on what it means to love and forgive your enemies. I now find myself at a loss for words to convey exactly what is going on in my heart. But I will try...
This guy has lost so much. Someone whom he thought was a friend conspired against him to get he and his family kicked out of their home without a moment's notice. Most of them had to sleep sitting up for a night, crammed into a tiny room. Then another friend "borrowed" money from him, fled the country, and left him responsible for his rent bill and without paying him back. Because of all this, 2 members of his family were held hostage in their old apartment without food, water, or medicine while one of them was extremely sick. We actually had to sneak a care package to them in the middle of the night. All of this goes on top of the fact that he and his family have already been forced below the poverty line and are struggling to survive.
What injustice! I'm pissed off at these people for him. There are a few choice words that I would be thrilled to throw their way along with some glares and cold shoulders.
Moon, however is moved in a different direction; a direction that I wish was instinctual in my own life; a direction of integrity.
"I am praying for those who are hurting us. I am always praying to God, "Please forgive them. Please forgive them."
I could hardly compose myself when he said these words. He is living Matthew 5 when Jesus said, "You heard what it was said to you. Love your neighbors and hate your enemies. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
In the mix of all these emotions I couldn't help but cry. He explained that these betrayals hurt him a lot, he doesn't understand why they did it, and he even looses a lot of sleep over it. "But God says to forgive those who hurt you," he explained quite bluntly. It's that simple. As difficult as it may seem, it really is that simple.
As I reflected on this, I was reminded that unforgiveness does not hurt the person that it's directed at nearly as much as the person that is holding it. While the person that is holding unforgiveness may feel that they are in control, they are in reality a slave to it. When we refuse to forgive people, the only one that we are hurting is ourselves.
I will leave you with the words of Ben Freeth only days after being attacked and tortured along with his family in Zimbabwe, "Hatred is so distracting. We just need to love."
This guy has lost so much. Someone whom he thought was a friend conspired against him to get he and his family kicked out of their home without a moment's notice. Most of them had to sleep sitting up for a night, crammed into a tiny room. Then another friend "borrowed" money from him, fled the country, and left him responsible for his rent bill and without paying him back. Because of all this, 2 members of his family were held hostage in their old apartment without food, water, or medicine while one of them was extremely sick. We actually had to sneak a care package to them in the middle of the night. All of this goes on top of the fact that he and his family have already been forced below the poverty line and are struggling to survive.
What injustice! I'm pissed off at these people for him. There are a few choice words that I would be thrilled to throw their way along with some glares and cold shoulders.
Moon, however is moved in a different direction; a direction that I wish was instinctual in my own life; a direction of integrity.
"I am praying for those who are hurting us. I am always praying to God, "Please forgive them. Please forgive them."
I could hardly compose myself when he said these words. He is living Matthew 5 when Jesus said, "You heard what it was said to you. Love your neighbors and hate your enemies. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
In the mix of all these emotions I couldn't help but cry. He explained that these betrayals hurt him a lot, he doesn't understand why they did it, and he even looses a lot of sleep over it. "But God says to forgive those who hurt you," he explained quite bluntly. It's that simple. As difficult as it may seem, it really is that simple.
As I reflected on this, I was reminded that unforgiveness does not hurt the person that it's directed at nearly as much as the person that is holding it. While the person that is holding unforgiveness may feel that they are in control, they are in reality a slave to it. When we refuse to forgive people, the only one that we are hurting is ourselves.
I will leave you with the words of Ben Freeth only days after being attacked and tortured along with his family in Zimbabwe, "Hatred is so distracting. We just need to love."
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