Chuuk has a reputation among the islands for being violent. And the men from Losap are known to be very tough and unforgiving. The youth and young men stand around looking very tough and up to trouble most days, they all dress like American gangsters, but with more interesting hairdos. God has really been putting them on my heart and I know that they are central to the revival and awakening of love that he wants to bring to these islands.
Rick was attacked from behind on New Years Eve, and injured pretty badly. The young man that had attacked him, accepted Jesus during one of our meetings and wanted to get baptized, but felt that he needed to apologize and make peace with Rick first. But he was afraid for his life to even be seen by Rick. So Saturday morning, it was on Mama Rose's heart that we go visit Rick. We took his brother, also a new believer, with us. And T.K. was there (a deported ex-con who had met Jesus in an American prison and backslidden, but had great english and was often in the right place at the right time to translate for me during really powerful moments of the love of God and repentance).
Rick asked us to pray that he wouldn't take revenge or murder the guy who hurt him. Even though all the culture and his history is to always fight back and always take revenge. We shared with him the power of Jesus' forgiveness for him and the love of God, and the importance of receiving his love and grace to forgive one another. And Rick and T.K. were both in tears as we prayed and the presence of God and the power of Jesus' sacrifice impacted them.
The next morning, before our ship arrived to take us home, Rick came by the house to ask Mama Rose to go get the man who'd hurt him so that he could forgive him with us as witnesses (so that the guy would be brave enough to come around). So we prayed for them to receive the love of God and grace to forgive and humility to apologize. Then I thought they should talk it out or whatever they needed to say to make peace.
They just stood up in front of us and said one word to each other and shook hands.
The guy who was forgiven, as Rick shook his hand, he looked at me in utter shock and surprise and relief and thankfulness.
And that was it. That was the miracle of peace and reconciliation for them.
Afterward Rick said he felt so strong and joyful, he had never been able to forgive like that before and he had never felt this way before. He had never experienced the love and forgiveness and presence of God like that before.
No comments:
Post a Comment