Powerful Story...On Film

I have a good friend who has been working with Laura Waters Hinson promoting the film "As We Forgive" for the last few months. The story is amazing and it goes far beyond what words can ever convey. It is a story of forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation. Such stories grip me because they are real-real people living real life and making choices that have far-reaching implications. Whoah, this just makes me exhale a long, deep breath...

Yesterday, Laura was interviewed on NPR. I strongly encourage you to listen to the interview; it is really powerful. It brings into question the sincerity of who we are as human beings...it makes me question whether my faith is deep enough that I could forgive someone who killed my family, the people nearest and dearest to my heart; it makes me question the sincerity of my love for my friends, and my enemies. Such forgiveness is only possible through the power of God's intervention. This is the story that Laura's film tells: a story that extends beyond human words and actions, into the hearts of people around the world, and further into eternity.

The Christian faith is a faith deep enough to forgive such wrongdoing, and hearing about people experiencing such forgiveness is awe-striking. While powerful, the story is also hard. The crimes committed in Rwanda were atrocious. I simply cannot imagine the pain and suffering caused by these killings. However, this makes the depth of God-enabled forgiveness all the more moving. This story is the story of the gospel, on a microcosmic level; it is a capitulation of what Jesus lived out by putting on flesh, coming to earth to die for our sins on the cross, and bringing us into a glorious inheritance reflected in his resurrection from the dead. The plot continues, and now we see in part-glimpses of a final, beautiful, full picture.

"On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." -Mark 2:17

"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:25

interview: http://wamu.org/programs/dr/08/08/07.php#21837
main site for film: http://www.asweforgivemovie.com/