Enemies

In his weekly church bulletin, Dale Pauls wrote the following:
 
"The signature statement of Christianity, and possibly the most remarkable statement ever made by anyone, is Jesus' teaching   'Love your enemies'.   (Matt. 5: 43-48)    Moreover the examples he gives are unmistakably concrete.    Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you. When struck, turn the other cheek.  When anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back."
 
I thought of Dale and Jesus' words last night as I was reading about a 26 year old Californian, Amy Biehl.  Amy was a Stanford grad, and was living in South Africa as a volunteer in voter registration for the upcoming free elections of 1994.  One evening she was driving three African friends home to their township as a favor.  Seeing her white face, a mob of African boys screamed in eagerness, for this was a black township and she was white prey.  Her car was showered with stones and stopped, and she was dragged from it.  Her black African friends pleaded with the mob to spare her by saying "she's a comrade!"    Amy herself pleaded to her assailants.  She was harried viciously, beaten to the ground,  her head smashed with a brick, and she was stabbed in the heart..........killed like an animal.      Defying death threats, some women who had witnessed  the crime came forward and named Amy's killers.  Four young men were convicted of the murder and sentenced to eighteen years in prison.    After three years of imprisonment these murderers appeared before the "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" that was set up for the purpose of bringing some healing to South Africa after several hundred years of racial injustice.   The commission had been authorized to give a general amnesty to any individuals who had been convicted for crimes that were of a political nature if they showed remorse.   These young men testified that this murder was political ( which makes no sense in that Amy was helping them politically, and everybody knew that) and they said that they were remorseful for the crime.   Ok, here is the amazing part of this whole story.............the murderers' freedom could ONLY be given if Amy's parents agreed to the amnesty.   Peter and Linda Biehl were at the "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" hearings and heard all the testimony.  One of the mothers of the killers was so disgusted and ashamed by her son's description of what he had done to Amy that she could not face him.     I am sure you are way ahead of me.   Amy's parents not only agreed to the amnesty, they offered jobs to the young men to work at a Foundation that was set up in Amy's honor and memory.  Two of the young men accepted the job offer, and still work there today.    The Foundation is "dedicated to the empowering  of people who are oppressed".      
 
The intellectual concept of "loving your enemies" is one thing,  to see it lived out in the lives of believers is going to a completely different level.   I can only imagine that EXPERIENCING it
puts you in a whole different galaxy.     I have opportunites to go to that galaxy with the Biehls, do you?