Hello! This is from the writing of one of seniors from AC who recently graduated from Oxford. His name is Peter Ho, and I was very touched by his writing on the topic of Grace as opposed to seeking out revenge. Enjoy!
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"While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep." - Acts 7:59-60
Not that Stephen survived his stoning. There was neither justice nor humour in this summary trial and execution. Would one laugh or satirise an innocent man's execution? It would be tasteless. There was, instead, plenty of self-righteous hate and anger from the religious hierarchy that was comfortable in its rituals, thinking that that was all was needed to be moral and ethical and, thus, deserving of heaven.
How difficult would it have been to forgive and to love those who cursed one and were sending one to a slow and painful death? Stephen was obedient to his master who said:
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." - Matthew 5:43-46
But how hard it is for man to love instead of hate? How hard is it to see that we are usually wrong when we listen to our imperfect hearts? How hard is it then to break the chain of self-seeking ambition and revenge, and of using God's name to further our own intents and purposes, and of, thus, blaspheming against His name? I, too, find it difficult to love instead of hate.
"Isn't it my right to feel angry?"
Well not all rights are absolute are they? I wonder if one may often mistake one's ABILITY to feel angry for one's RIGHT to do so. Shouldn't we balance these rights with more significant objectives?
"If God wanted us all to be peace-loving then He would have made us incapable of anger."
Perhaps if one had the power one might do that. That would be a world of automatons rather than people though. But that's a hypothetical world. The Bible's full of teachings to love one's enemy and to forgive and to let go of anger (yes both the Old Testament - which has been irrationally villified by society - and the New Testament).
Why this 'outburst'? This is because I have been approached to promote another partisan cause that might be more incendiary than helpful. Is it helpful to spread hate and anger? It might be. In my very limited opinion it is, however, rare that one may utterly destroy one's enemies and all who love them. Then what's the good of that? How amazing would it be to be able to forgive? How much easier would it be to approach the negotiating table when one's controlled? How dangerous it would be to approach extremism and partisanship?
I speak from a position of weakness and experience: I am a man who has had a history of anger and fierce confrontations in my past - this is a past that I am ashamed of and I wish that I could erase. However, I now live by God's grace and must show mercy to everyone because I have been the beneficiary of so much mercy myself. For all these things I thank God.
http://oxford.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=2218670165
