Forgiveness Like No Other

Last night I met a woman named Verra. I was at our Republican Senate District 59 Executive meeting. We arrived a little late and there was quite a good group present. I recognized most people except one. Verra was a young black lady and beautiful. One of the other ladies brought her, saying she had just become a citizen, and the joke was that they wanted her to vote the best way. She is from Liberia. Verra was dressed in a tight jean dress with a lovely shall that was draped over her shoulders; her hair was braided in some sort of a way that I can't explain. Her face was beautiful and smiling.

    Throughout the evening she made comments and asked questions. It was interesting to hear about how our countries are similar. They use the U.S. dollar and have numerous streets and cities named as we have. We opened with the pledge of allegiance, and she said that it is almost identical to her own.

    Close to the end of the meeting- I am unsure as to how we even started to talk about it. Verra started to tell us some of her story. Liberia recently had ended a terrible war. There were neighbors killing neighbors. She said she knew a man who had his whole family killed, his house burned down, all he had left was his car. While facing his tormentors who were about to take his car away he said, "If you take my car, just kill me, for I will have nothing left." My heart lurched at the story. Verra said the man and his car were left alone. I think I would probably feel the same as him in his circumstances. Verra's friend (I can't remember her name!) said that she was amazed at Verra's countenance and joy. She said that Verra told her story in tears, that her grandmother was raped and murdered, and that she doesn't know where her brother is. When Verra's friend said this I could see the sadness in Verra's eyes, but there was something else stronger that kept her smiling.

    Verra said that she just had to forgive and put it behind her and move on. That the only way people make it in Liberia now is to forgive the rebels, for they still have to live next door to one another. Forgiveness is the only way they can live. She said even now, that the church she attends in Brooklyn Park, there is a man who is a rebel who she attends church with. But she just has to walk in forgiveness. In seeing her face when she explained her story I was in awe. I no longer have any excuse not to forgive, none of us do! Because no matter what people have done to us it can't compare to what has been done to her. Yet she lives in complete joy.

    Thank the Lord for the reminders he puts in our lives. To remind us of His forgiveness and the joy He gives to those who have indeed forgiven completely. How much we can learn, and how much our own things of the day seem petty and small in comparison.