Food for Thought: Can Love Really Conquer All?

Love is often misunderstood as something that “happens” between two people through a romantic attraction, or that love is a “closeness” felt among family members. That theory of love is very limited. The love of God is much broader. He has commanded us to love everyone. That seems impossible! We all know evil people who do not seem to deserve our love. How can we overcome these ideas and follow God’s command?

First we have to define love in a way that makes it clear that it is not just a romantic or familial feeling, it is a comprehensive way of treating people. If we love someone we do not wish them harm, we do not disparage them, or take negative action against them. That said, God himself has drawn a line when a person is a danger to others. We are to continue to love even the most egregious sinner but not their actions. But are we to love even someone who has murdered our loved ones?

How is that possible? For us, on our own, it may in fact be beyond our ability. Yet we know that, “with God, anything is possible.” We know of instances where people have been able to forgive out of love. The key seems to be that while justice needs to be served, the person who has committed evil acts is still a child of God and is redeemable.

In a webinar by Iby Itkowitz October 1, 2016 she tells the story of the Amish families who surrounded the parents of the young man who sent the boys in their one-room rural school away and bound and shot the girls, killing 6 out of 10 of them before shooting himself. The Amish wanted the murderer’s parents to know that they did not blame the parents and that they had also forgiven their son. The Amish way is to forgive first and then to deal with what happened in the most positive way possible. This did not mean that they grieved any less for their own children, but it did mean that they could refrain from bitterness and recrimination. They could move on and not let what happened control their lives. That Amish community was able to heal and allowed the family of the shooter to do the same. It was not easy, but with God’s help they did it. The two sides have maintained a ten-year-long friendship ever since the shooting.

“In him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:7