23 Jun, 2011
Love Thy Neighbor
Today’s Story – Love Thy Neighbor
Two Friends Who Could Have Been Enemies: Forgiveness and Mercy from a Mother to Her Son’s Killer
What Mary Johnson endured 18 years ago and has seen her way through is almost incomprehensible, but it’s a marvelous story to behold. “I just hugged the man who murdered my son.”
In 1993, Oshea Israel was a teenage gang member in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One night at a party, he got into a fight with Laramiun Byrd — Mary Johnson’s only child — pulled a gun, and shot and killed him.
Convicted of second-degree murder, Israel was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Twelve years after his sentencing, Johnson asked to meet her son’s killer.
The experience transformed both Israel and Johnson. Now 34, Oshea has finished serving his prison sentence. They are friends working together to share their story.
In (an) interview, they speak in loving terms about one another and talk about forgiveness, pain, and the love and mercy of a woman who embraces a man she could rightfully have hated.
Unnatural deaths caused by accidents are unbearable enough, but to lose a child at the willing hands of another individual, I imagine for most parents, might precipitate into bitterness, anger, rage. For Mary Johnson, it became a redemptive moment, an opportunity to transcend the violence. She founded From Death to Life, an organization that supports mothers who have lost children to homicide, and encourages forgiveness between families of murderers and victims.
Story courtesy of onbeing.org. Picture courtesy of Brian Mogren
God’s Story: Romans 13:8-10 (NLT)
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
What does today’s God’s Story teach us about loving our neighbor?
I love that it says that we have an “obligation to love one another.” That is so unlike what the world says. We hear that we deserve to be loved or others need to please us, like us, or do what we want. This totally turns it around and tells us that we HAVE to love one another. And to love our neighbor as our self.
What does today’s God’s Story teach us about loving our neighbor?
I love that it says that we have an “obligation to love one another.” That is so unlike what the world says. We hear that we deserve to be loved or others need to please us, like us, or do what we want. This totally turns it around and tells us that we HAVE to love one another. And to love our neighbor as our self.
How can we connect today’s God’s Story to our lives?
Mr. Rogers (from the PBS show) asked us to be his neighbor. He would have been a great person to live next door.
But who is your neighbor? Do you love those who don’t look like you, live near you, or have wronged you in some way?
Build a relationship with the ‘neighbors’ in your life by showing love. When we allow the Holy Spirit to flow in our lives loving others becomes natural.
How can we connect today’s story, God’s Story scripture, and our story to others?
This story of forgiveness is such an amazing testimony of truly loving our neighbor. No matter where you live, whether urban or rural, neighbors are a part of our lives. And our neighbors extend past the zip codes of our residence.
Talk to your friends about the neighbors in their lives. Discuss the story of Mary and Oshea. Ask your friends what they think about the story. Then share what Jesus said about loving our neighbors.
You just might find yourself whistling a familiar tune from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.
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