Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up trouble;
love overlooks the wrongs
that others do.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In
2005, Ashley Smith - a widowed mother in Duluth, Georgia - was
recovering from a meth addiction. Brian Nichols was an accused rapist
who murdered four people in the Fulton County Courthouse and fled.
Nichols captured Smith in the parking lot of her apartment complex and
held her hostage in her home for seven hours.
Fearing for her
life, Smith reached out to Nichols. She made him pancakes. She pulled
out a book that she had been reading…and with Nichols’ permission, she
read it aloud to him. That book was Pastor Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life*. Ultimately, Smith persuaded Nichols to surrender, and today, he is serving multiple prison terms - with no chance of parole.
Ashley
Smith Robinson remarried in 2007 and now has three children. She is an
x-ray technician and shares her story at speaking engagements across
the nation. Her story will be told in an upcoming movie, Captive**,
in which she is portrayed by actress, Kate Mara. Brian Nichols is
played by Golden Globe nominee David Oyelowo. The movie is based on
Smith-Robinson’s book, Unlikely Angel***.
Here’s the
thing…not every bad situation turns out as well as this one did. I
don’t mean to imply that all we have to do is whip out a Bible or an
inspirational book, and we can soften the most hardened of hearts – or
even save lives in the process. If this was the case, at least some of
the nine people who perished at a Bible study in Charleston, South
Carolina, might still be with us.
But there is a lot of “meat”
in this one verse. Hatred does stir up trouble. Just look at Ferguson,
Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland. Look at the protests that are
taking place around our country at political rallies and in front of
courthouses. When I stop and think about how we grieve God each and
every day with our hate-filled words and actions – many offered in the
name of Jesus – I am astounded! And then I learn about this new
movie…and I am reminded of the faith and courage of one woman who was
just digging her way out of drug addiction and seeking God...and I am
prompted to consider what true love and Christian faith offers.
“But
this didn’t help those people in Charleston,” you may suggest. And you
are right…on the surface. But the witness of those nine people…the
forgiveness offered to that killer by their survivors…the lack of
rioting and protesting in the streets of Charleston afterward and the
tremendous outpouring of love and support – extended to a stirring
address and rendition of “Amazing Grace” by our President at one of the
memorial services…all demonstrate the love and power of God to heal and
redeem.
Who knows whether the young man accused in the
Charleston murders will surrender his heart to Jesus? He has at least
been given a chance to do so. I don’t know if the love and kindness
that Ashley Smith Robinson showed to Brian Nichols that day in 2005 was a
catalyst for him to receive Jesus Christ into his heart. But I do know
that he has the opportunity to hear the Gospel now and make that
decision. Every life and soul counts for God’s Kingdom!
We
need to really let this soak into our hearts. We need to examine how
we react to others and determine where and when we operate in hatred and
unforgiveness…and where we operate in love - and open the door for God
to work. Will this be the day that you do some internal soul searching
and ask God to correct your attitudes? Are you able to truly love
others in Jesus’ name – even in the midst of great upheaval,
disappointment and/or heartache? Isn’t it time you were?
©2015 Debbie Robus
*The Purpose Driven Life - http://purposedriven.com/books/pdlbook/#purposehttp://purposedriven.com/books/pdlbook/#purpose
**Captive - http://www.captivethemovie.com/
***Unlikely Angel - http://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Angel-Untold-Atlanta-Hostage-ebook/dp/B0040GJDXAhttp://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Angel-Untold-Atlanta-Hostage-ebook/dp/B0040GJDXA
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