Several years ago in South Bend, Indiana, a pair of teenagers got drunk and sped around on the back roads to kill some time. This is Amish country, and when they saw a horse-drawn cart they decided it would be good sport to attempt to throw a rock into the cart as they sped by it going the opposite direction. What they didn't realize was that the cart contained the driver's wife and young child. The rock flew into the cart and killed the infant instantly.
The Amish family, however, refused to press charges or even appear in court to testify against the teens. The pair still received jail time, but a much shorter sentence than they ordinarily would have.
Then, on the first day of their jail sentence, they were visited by the Amish family, who came extending their forgiveness, wanted to know how they could serve the teens, and seeking reconciliation.
Is this what it looks like, to follow Christ in our society? Did the Amish family react Christianly to their own tragedy? What else could they or should they have done?
-NDSR
Comments (52)
i remember last year when the amish school shooting tragedy happened. i remember reading the stories of the amish families contacting the shooter's wife offering forgiveness. i was blown away. many times i forgive people and keep it to myself. i don't hold any animosity, but i don't go and seek out ways to make their lives better. maybe the amish have it figured out with this forgiving stuff.
Wow....I have to think on this. That's really interesting....I've never heard of this story before.
I would say the family did act Christianly, they forgave even over their horrifying tradegy. I don't think I could have done the same in that case I would be pent up with anger and rage. Over time I'm sure I would...because you can't hold on to something that you can't change. It's hard to forgive some of the greatest feats of our life but sometimes we just need to...not just for our own healing but for God as well.
i don't know. part of me yes, definitely, then another part says that we are raising a culture of irresponsible and evil teens, so they should have consequences for their very wrong and murderous actions. i love the amish people. I've been able to spend a weekend among them and their humility and servanthood is a beautiful thing to watch. I think for their personal beliefs and the way their convictions plays out, then for them it was the proper response. do I feel I should act or respond in kind were I to be presented with the same situation? no. because I am not Amish and I don't believe the same way they do, nor do I believe the bible states that the law breaker should go unpunished, or get off as lightly as those boys did. their actions were accidental either - they were willfully negligent - it's not the same as kids speeding down a road and accidentally losing control of a car - they threw the rock on purpose, not thinking about what was inside.
lastly, I also know that I need to grow in my attitude of mercy, grace and forgiveness when my current propensity is towards revenge, justice and bitterness. grudges are heavy to hold. so once again...my answer is "I don't know".
This story reminds me of the Nickle mines tragedy that happened near here.
if they reacted that way in order to put a stop to the cycle of suffering, then there probably wasn't anything else that could be done. it takes a strong person...
on the other hand i've always wondered if it were somewhat vain to go out and offer forgiveness when it hasn't directly been asked for. i mean in their situation it's something that would rock the community and turn heads for a good reason. but when it's just normal every day life, it seems that it would be a presumptuous declaration, like taking myself and my role in the situation too seriously. i always felt it was better as an internal attitude unless deliberately sought for by the "offending" person. i don't know, maybe that's just me.
Wow, I admire them. I wouldn't be able to. Definitely, it would seem that they are more forgiving than most people I know, which Christians are commanded to be. Is there such a thing as "too forgiving"? I don't think so. I don't think God would condemn us for not forgiving to the extent they were able to, but I believe we should be striving for that.
wow, i feel like that probably influenced and the two guys more than anything else could have
No what they did was wonderful. I hope I could be so compassionate under the same circumstances.
The two teenagers were stupid and mean. But they never intended to seriously hurt anyone let alone kill them. They are not a future threat. Very harsh punishment would simply be revenge.
I have dealt out revenge before. It does no good, it does not make you feel better and it comes back to haunt you. There is good reason God tells us not to deal in revenge.
They are fine examples .. as the Amish have proven time and time again in the face of tragedies.
Its certainly honorable and Christian that they offered help and forgiveness. I think the same could have been done even if they had pressed charges, but I suppose they had already forgiven early on.
Makes sense to me. I think pressing chargers is usually a bad idea. I admire the stories I hear about the Amish.
@AlterEgo909 - It is crass to say they forgave "early on". Forgiveness is only relevant in the light of experiencing the pain. Forgiveness helps them reconcile as well not just the murderers. Neither is it the same to say you forgive someone and then act the opposite. Forgiveness is in action not words.
I think that is the ultimate display of what it is to be humble. There's no amount of "revenge" that will get their baby back and I am certain that the teens learned their lesson from the tragedy. They ultimately put it in Gods hands and trusted him to sooth their pains and help them with forgiveness.
interesting...
I wish i could be more like this.
Cute.
This is a good story, I remember another one not to long ago involving the Amish when a gunman came into their school and killed several girls and turned the gun on himself, the Amish families went to the family of the gunman and forgave him and them.
I have been to Amish country, not the one in Indiana, but regardless, I have been to that kind of area.
The fist time I went there, I was constantly reminding myself how lucky I am, and how thankful I am for the life I have. I admired their culture, and their work, and their values, but I was thankful it was not me. No TV, no internet, no hanging out with the boys on Friday night, no sleeping in, no calling in sick to work, no rebelling, no arguing with your parents, gahhh. It screamed boredom. Everything was so serious there, everything they did was in honor of Christ. Again, I considered myself lucky.
But after seeing many sensless acts of random kindess from these people, and hearing this story, THEY are the lucky ones. They are the ones we should look up to.
Gosh, I love the Amish for so many reasons!
wow. that was so incredible of them. I know I would not be able to react the same way.
@christin0 - true that.
that takes so much goodness in your heart. oh man.
Interesting story... they definitely have an incredible grasp of God, his love, and his forgiveness. I wish I could say I knew how to forgive like that, yet I hold grudges and demand justice for even the pettiest things.
they definitely did the Godly thing. What horrible pain they must have been going through because of the stupidity of a couple of teenagers. Yet they forgave them and helped them. I imagine the teens felt MUCH worse because of their attitude than they would have if the couple had pressed charges. One of those "heap burning coals" scenarios. I will definitely remember this story the next time I want to lash out in anger over some stupid little thing.
What better to end suffering than extending love?
They did what they believed was right. Nothing else matters.
It appears, without benefit of a closer inspection, that God is powerfully at work in and through the Amish family. Yes this is certainly what Christ intends, and can bring about if His people will, but let Him.
That's the question, "Will His people, willfully pursue God to work in and through these kinds of situations in our lives?" This is the means by which God changes the world.
Great post!