Loving our Enemies - With Jamie White

Описание: Note: this video contains discussion of sexual assault. Though the story shared is one of resilience and transformation, viewer discretion is advised.

As a young woman, Rev. Jamie White would sit on her bed with clenched fists, repeating, “I will forgive. I will forgive.” Years later, when counseling parishioners through their own anger and grief, she reminds them that reconciliation does not come naturally over time. We have to make a deliberate choice. It may take years for that choice to do its work, but the feelings of forgiveness do eventually follow.

Life continues after tragedy, even after violent tragedy. The choice to forgive, as Jamie shares in this video, “Loving your Enemies” is a choice to re-enter life after being transformed by tragedy. A mentor once told Jamie: “You are going to have to figure out how to take that tragedy, that scar—that has to be your greatest treasure.”

Jamie shares, powerfully, how Jesus’ example has guided her reconciliation process.

There’s a lot of things Jesus didn’t say. There’s a lot of questions he did not answer. However, he did talk a ton about love. And he said a lot about loving our enemies. And then he showed us what it looked like: he laid his life down. And none of that looked like weakness. Every single time, it looked like incredible strength. And it didn’t make anyone afraid of him. It made everyone want to be near him. And people got whole, and healed.”

Putting ideas into action

After watching Jamie’s video, think of a tragedy or disappointment that has permanently changed your life. The following questions, we hope, will help you glimpse how this tragedy can

1. How has this tragedy transformed you? Bring to mind all the transformations, both internally and in your external circumstances, whether good or bad. How would your life be different, absent this tragedy?

2. Can you identify gifts that have come through this transformation? Are there any areas where God has given you beauty for ashes?

3. Bring to mind the wounds and the scars that the tragedy left behind. What would it mean to make these scars into your greatest treasures? When you think about this, what do you feel called to do?

4. Was there anyone else involved in this situation? Take a moment to think about them. They too have experienced pain, disappointment. They too carry scars. What does it do for you when you see their pain? What do you feel called to do?