What do you do then?
"I forgive her."
I was trying so hard not to be angry, because if my two abused 11 year olds could forgive their parents then I sure as heck better be able to. This week the message at youth group was about relationships and since Megan was absent last night, I had only Selena and Robin in small group.
At some point Robin looked up at me and says "My mom hits me sometimes." Nothing new, unfortunately. All my students who open up to me say something like that.
"People like to talk, talk, talk. They tell stories. Sometimes those stories are lies but my mom doesn't listen to me, she listens to the stories. Then she is angry at me and she hits me and yells and says, 'I hate you!'"
How does that make you feel Robin?
"It breaks my heart."
What do you do?
"I cry and I run away. I don't say anything back. Because she is older than me. And I cannot argue."
Ok, what do you do then?
"I forgive her."
Do you talk to Jesus when you're crying?
"Yes."
What does He tell you?
"That I must forgive her."
He's right Robin.
"I know…. Hey Nikki!"
What?
"Jesus provides for me!"
Yeah, that's right. He does provide.
"He knows what I need and then He sends it to me."
Yes, He does.
"He sent you here."
Yeah, He did Robin.
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Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.
You beat Him. You hammered those nails into His hands. You stuck that spear in His side. I did it. I beat Him. I hammered those nails. I built that cross. And He forgave me. He forgave you.
We beat Him and He forgave us.
Here I thought I was the one who was supposed to be teaching those girls. But at youth group on Good Friday they showed me a vivid picture of Jesus' love. Robin's mom doesn't always beat her. Her mother had a stroke and cannot walk. Robin takes care of her. She takes care of her even when she is being abused by her. She can do that because she can still forgive. She loves her mom fiercely, and her mom loves her too.
Jesus was saving our lives while we screamed atrocities at Him. He was caring for us while we beat Him. We killed Him but, at the same time, He willingly died for us.
Now you might be saying, "Hold up Nikki. You were not there. I wasn't there. This is not our fault. We could have been the good guys. We surely wouldn't have been those guards."
Even Peter denied Jesus that night.
I might not have physically been there, but my sin drove Him to that cross. He died for me. Died. And He forgave us. He forgave us.
Some people might say that Robin and Selena are blinded by devotion to their parents. That they forgive because they feel that they have to. That they stay because they need someone to provide for them.
I think that they understand Jesus' heart perfectly. I know it takes a lot of strength to forgive like that.
I cannot imagine the kind of love that drove Jesus to forgive me.
Sometimes I get so sick and tired of hearing these stories. Often, they make me angry. Often they push me right to the edge. Often I am so tempted to see these situations as black and white. Most times, I find it difficult to forgive them. But you know what? Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the little children. I've seen time and time again the virtues of children, and here is another one. The ability to forgive.
And isn't forgiveness fully fulfilled in Christ? And haven't these children already managed to grasp a vital lesson in Jesus' teaching?
………………………………………………………………..
Robin? Have you ever asked Jesus into your heart?
"Oh yes. Lots of times!"
Why lots of times?
"Because I just love Him so much!"
……………………………………………………………………
When I hear Robin's stories I immediately ask God why. Why is He allowing this to happen? Why does she have to be in the middle of it? How can it be stopped? Will it be stopped? When?
When Robin talks about her stories she doesn't ask where Jesus was and why He wasn't stopping it. She doesn't need to ask. She knows. He was right there. He is always right there.
Jesus died on the cross so that He could save you. He died on the cross so that He could save me. He died to save all of those children. He died to save all of their parents. He died to save the abused and the abusers. He died to save the victims and the murders. He died to save the lost. He died so that every single person could one day shout "Victory!"
Because isn't that what Easter is? A victory celebration. A moment of triumph. Yes, Jesus died for us. But He isn't dead anymore, He didn't stay in that grave. Why would Robin rely on and love a dead man whom she had never encountered? She wouldn't. She loves Jesus because He speaks to her, because He holds her, because He has never left nor will He ever leave her.
She loves Jesus because He beat death for her. She loves Jesus because He is so worthy of her love. He is so worthy of our praise. He saved your life, He saved mine. So today we all can stand together and shout out "Victory!"
He is risen indeed.
Happy Easter friends!
