Christians
don’t react, they act.
No one
illustrates that better than young Wesleyan Pastor, Davey Blackburn. He and his
toddler son face their first Thanksgiving without their beloved wife and
mother. The lovely and vivacious young Amanda Blackburn was brutally assaulted
and murdered by three thugs who invaded their Indianapolis home on the early
morning of November 10th. She was thirteen weeks pregnant when murdered.
Yesterday
those suspects were arrested and charged with murder and several other related
charges. Upon the media release of this arrest, Pastor Davey issued his
statement. The statement he released to his church is below and then the
statement he made to the press. I urged to read them and then reflect honestly
on how you would have responded.
“Though it does not undo the pain we are
feeling, I was extremely relieved to get the news of the arrest made
last night of Amanda’s killer. The investigators have assured me they have
a solidly-built case to ensure justice is levied and the process is expedited.
The family and I couldn’t be more thankful for the level of compassion and
professionalism the IMPD and investigators have shown us through the last
couple of weeks. My hope is for three things in the weeks and months to come:
1) That the court system would have wisdom on
how to prosecute this man, so that no one else endures the pain Amanda and our
family have had to endure because of his actions.
2) That through all of this and although
there will be great consequences for his actions, he
would become truly sorry for what he has done and would even begin to
experience the life-transforming power of the Grace and Mercy of Jesus Christ.
3) That Jesus would give me and our family a
heart of forgiveness.
Though everything inside of me wants to hate,
be angry, and slip into despair I choose the route of forgiveness, grace and
hope. If there is one thing I’ve learned from Amanda in the 10 years we were
together, it’s this: Choosing to let my emotions drive my decisions is recipe
for a hopeless and fruitless life. Today I am deciding to love, not hate. Today
I am deciding to extend forgiveness, not bitterness. Today I am deciding to
hope, not despair. By Jesus’ power at work within us, the best is STILL yet to
come. Even when I don’t see it, I believe it to be true.”
Christians act, they don’t react.