Something to consider..

"How can I refuse to forgive when I am a forgiven sinner as well. According to God's Word, I am called to forgive him, for I did not create this man. Even my family that he killed-I did not create them either. His crime was against God who created the people he killed. So I placed everything in the hands of God." -Rosaria, "As We Forgive" Documentary (See Trailer Here).

 

Wow.  Can you just take a minute and reflect on what this means?

17 years ago, during the genocide in Rwanda, Rosaria had taken her fourth and youngest child to Kigali because he had been sick and needed to go to the hospital. While in Kigali, a group of militiamen attacked and killed every one in the group Rosaria was with, including her son. Miraculously, Rosaria survived the brutal attack. It was some time later that she would find out that her husband, her three other children, her parents and each of her other siblings were all murdered, along with several nieces and nephews.

 

In the wake of such devastation, God gave her a gift. In the fall of 1994, Rosaria found out she was pregnant and giving birth to a little girl, named her Cadeaux, meaning "Gift" because she was the only thing she had left.

Some time later Rosaria was presented with a man who said that he was the one who had taken part in the killing of Rosaria's family. The very man who took his machete and ended their life, was now asking Rosaria for forgiveness.

Not just any killer, but a man who knew them. Knew her family... Maybe even had dinner with them on occasion. A neighbor friend. In a society where everyone works together, everything is shared among the villages, they were very close. Hatred and lies separated them and somehow led to the unspeakable act of murder.

Now. Look back upon what Rosaria said. She doesn't hold anger in her heart. She has given it over to God and fully forgiven him. The man who killed her family.

 

She said later "How can I refuse to forgive when my Heavenly Father forgave me".

 

Wow. Just, wow.

 

I hope you can think about what this would mean for you.

Maybe you don't have to forgive someone who killed your family. Maybe it's just that you haven't forgiven someone who cheated you. Maybe a family member really upset you about something and you haven't spoken to them in years. But we are called to forgive.

Mathew 18:21-22 "Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven."