A Little Bit of Faith: A Willingness to Forgive: Charleston, South Carolina
Our hearts were broken when the nation learned of the evil that took place in “The Holy City” of Charleston, South Carolina. Mother Emanuel AME Church has been in existence for nearly 200 years. The church and its people have encountered hatred before. When black churches were outlawed in Charleston, the congregation of Mother Emanuel continued to worship and praise their heavenly Father in hidden places only known to them. They did not allow racism to force them to walk away from their faith and their church. The people continued to turn the other cheek when it seemed as if the church would have to continue to meet underground.
From 1834 to 1865 the faithful of Mother Emanuel, the people who had little, the people who were fighting for their rights continued to walk the path of faith. They risked their lives to show those who had hate in their hearts for them because of the color of their skin that hate would not stop them from moving forward. Hate would not stop them from worshiping together. Nor would hate keep them silent.
Nevertheless, on the evening of June 17, while they worshiped together and prayed together, evil entered the historic church. Like any other night, its tall wooden doors opened to everyone quietly shut behind the one who would sit among them waiting to spew its evil toward those who were simply worshiping, praising, and praying to their Holy One. The faithful of Mother Emanuel had welcomed evil to sit among them. Not knowing that it was waiting patiently to show its true face.
Even in the mist of all the chaos, and the passing of the faithful nine, its congregation and their families are willing to still turn the other cheek and forgive. Forgiveness is a powerful tool. It does more for those who are doing the forgiving than for the one who needs to be forgiven. And if there is only one thing that we can all learn from this is that forgiveness is a silent weapon that can be used to help soften the pain of evil when it comes into our homes.
