PASTOR CRAIG’S WEEKLY DEVOTION “A Slap in the Face” April 23, 2014 To Connect More Deeply: Read Matthew 5:38-48 and 6:14-15 “If a man commits murder, then he shall be put to death by hanging, unless…..” (Iranian Law) The dark clad woman sat on the floor rocking back and forth crying and wailing uncontrollably. She was outwardly mourning the death of her son which was just moments away. 10 years prior to this day he had senselessly killed another man. The law of Iran says, “An eye for an eye.” Her wails increased in volume and frequency as the executioner put the black hood over her son’s head and lowered the noose around his neck. Any moment now the floor would drop from beneath him and the gravity of his own weight would break his neck. Each second, that passed by, intensified her suffering as she pleaded with Allah to spare her son. With the sentence pronounced the majority of the witnesses felt this man was getting what he deserved. He should die, he should be hanged, he should pay for what he did to his victim. It suddenly got quiet. Another woman clad in the same black garb walked in by a door on the opposite side of the room. Her face was covered as she was allowed to walk towards the sentenced criminal. The sobs of the grieving mother seemed to subside as the story before her unfolded. The second veiled face woman was the mother of the victim. It was her son that had been senselessly murdered 10 years ago. For 10 painstaking years she lived with the knowledge that the murderer of her son was still alive and receiving 3 meals a day and a bed to sleep in each night in the prison. Each day she awoke with thoughts of her son and the empty dreams that would never be fulfilled. Finally, on this day, vindication would take place and she decided to look into the eyes of the killer. As she took the two steps up the platform the crowd watched with great curiosity. Her footsteps echoed off the wooden platform and ricocheted off of the cement walls. Now her footsteps stopped as she stood face to face with the hooded killer. She drew back her arm and with one great swing she slapped his concealed face. His agony could be heard through the hood. Then it happened. As she walked off of the platform she said something to the executioner who then walked away from the lever of death and walked toward the condemned man. He took off the man’s hood and removed the noose from his neck. He removed the shackles from his wrists and ankles. The veiled woman climbed down the two steps of the platform and walked toward the mother of the murderer. She reached out to her and the two embraced. “….unless the mother of the victim forgives the murderer. Then he shall be freed.” (Iranian law) The slap in the face was the last step she needed to reach full blown forgiveness! “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14) Forgiveness is not easy and sometimes it takes a decade or more to free ourselves from the self-absorbing hate and anger that has consumed us in our grief and pain. Today, may you feel the forgiveness of Christ and may you pass it on to others.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 13:47:01 +0000