Criminality and God, through the eyes of my Life

By Roxana Reyes Davis

ne of my uncles, on my father’s side, was an honest man. He was born a farmer. He lived a simple life, took care of my grandmother and an aunt, together with two of my cousins. But one day while he was taking care of the cattle, he was murdered at the hands of several evil men. Even though there were many people looking for him, my father was the one who found him. The pain had to be unbearable for my father. Was Jesus with my father when this happened? My uncle was a good man - why did he die at the hands of evil men? I can try to come up with answers, and probably none would be fair enough to you or me… My father knew about Christ, and even though he grieved he was able to carry on with his life, to smile again, and to keep his good nature, in spite of it all.

I had a conversation with my dad years ago. We discussed the issue of the death penalty, of my uncle’s death, and of forgiveness. We believe only God decides over human life, we have no right to end it, but it is very difficult to stand by this belief when it is a loved one you’re losing at the hand of a murderer. Yet my father forgave his brother’s murderers, not because he could do it but because my father experienced Jesus’ forgiveness himself.
He believed in letting God to take care of matters. These murderers didn’t spend a day in prison for this deed, yet some of them ended up dead due to drugs, and others lost their minds. It is not God’s perfect will to punish men but there is a biblical truth: everything we plant we will reap – men’s actions determine their fate, sooner or later. We can not control others people’s actions but we can choose our attitude toward situations in our lives. My father chose to forgive and to keep living, and because of that decision he grew as a human being, and helped his children to become better people by following his example. It is not possible to experience freedom of hate and bitterness unless we ask God for his help. As humans, while we face losses, we feel a

variety of emotions: frustration, sadness, anger, confusion - just some of the feelings we might experience. But I believe that if we ask God for his guidance at such times, He will direct us. The Holy Spirit will give us the strength needed to conquer what is "impossible" to overcome.

While we work on our personal feelings toward criminals, especially if we lose a loved one, we can not forget about children. Children who become orphans due to violence go through a variety of feelings that, if overlooked, can develop severe emotional conditions. Some adults believe that the problem is solved by not talking about the matter; but the feelings of isolation and confusion do not go away by holding our silence. Adults need to discuss the painful situation with children, honestly, carefully, and if adults are not sure how or what to do, then professional services are needed. Ultimately God does care for those who suffer. He’s fully aware of our pain.

When Jesus was walking in this Earth he showed his human side: he needed rest, he got angry, he cried when his friend Lazarus died even though He brought Lazarus back to life. Jesus grieved for his country, prayed for those who killed him, and prayed for the disciples, and included you and me in that prayer. So Jesus is more than able to understand our pain, to be compassionate toward our losses, and He promised to be with those that believe in Him till the end.

I wish I knew Jesus then, the way I know him today, because of all the painful experiences between my loved ones. We not only lost an uncle but also lost my youngest aunt on my father’s side at the hands of her husband. There was enough reason for my father’s family to live a life full of bitterness and hate. But hate only hurts those who filled their hearts with it. Hate squeezes your heart until it becomes stone. But God can give you a new heart, and can transform your life in spite of the worst ordeals.

Don’t let criminality dictate the course of your life - choose Jesus’ way.