forgiving the villain

source

This week during homeroom my 8th graders and I have been praying for the people involved in the school shooting that took place on Monday at Chardon High School (Ohio). For some reason, this event has been heavy on my heart as I try to understand TJ Lane, the boy who brought a gun to school and murdered three other boys. There hasn't been much information released about the young man except that he was a loner, regularly picked on by others, and the son of an absent father.

Now we cannot presume to know TJ or any of the other people involved in this story. We don't know anything aside from what the media tells us. Yet we are quick to point fingers and spew accusations. We like having a person to blame, a face to direct our anger towards. Naturally, our blame goes straight to the shooter. We don't need the whole story! We've got a guy with a gun! That's all that really matters, afterall.

I will not deny that he is to blame. There is no excuse for murder. He deserves whatever punishment the court deems appropriate.

But what happens after the punishment?

In an ideal world: Repentence. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. Freedom.

If my Facebook newsfeed is any indication of America's general consensus (and it usually is), forgiveness isn't an option for TJ Lane. We need someone to hate, and TJ is the perfect candidate. After all, he did kill three people. Nevermind that we are third party observers with no personal connection to the victims. We self-righteously tweet that TJ is a scumbag who will suffer the wrath of God in the eternal flames of Hell because obviously, that's where he's going when he dies.

Am I the only one who finds this incredibly disturbing? Who do we think we are, to cast such judgment and withhold forgiveness from another human being? I'll say it again - he did a terrible thing. However, he is not the first person to have committed homicide and he will certainly not be the last. And let's not forget that we ourselves are broken, sinful people. Maybe you've never murdered anyone, but sin is sin.

As I've already mentioned, my 8th graders and I have been spending our homeroom time this week praying for the people involved in the shooting. We have prayed for peace and strength for the victims' families, and for restored health for the injured students.  We have bodly asked that TJ Lane find salvation. We have asked that God be glorified in this tragedy, and that His truth would be proclaimed.

This morning I came across an article and video with the headline stating, "Chardon High School shooting victim's mother forgives alleged gunman." Of course, I had to share it with my students, and we rejoiced that God is using this tragedy to draw people to Him. I encourage you to watch the interview. It alternates between the mother, Phyllis, sharing memories of her son and answering questions from the reporter. At one point the reporter compliments Phyllis for her faith, then tries to imply that the shooter had a less than ideal upbringing. Phyllis refuses to speculate about TJ, saying, "Until you walked in that person's shoes, we should not speak of them or mention them, because you don't know what made him come to this point...it's not my place... GOD is the judge." Her steadfast trust in God and his plan for her life gives her the strength to handle this tragedy with peace. Furthermore, it allows her to forgive the young man who has stolen her own son's life.

I don't know about you, but I'm convicted. If she, having suffered the tragic loss of her own son, can extend forgiveness to TJ Lane, then tell me: why is it so hard for the rest of us?