Article April 26, 1999 Issue

WORLD WATCH

How I prayed after I saw the news

"The world's healing prayers were going out to the victims and their families. But what about the perpetrators?"

By Sally Jean Hilding

Recently I saw on the news an account of the Serbian army attacking their own countrymen in Kosovo. Earlier, I had read a newspaper account about some extremists who murdered innocent villagers in Algeria. Then other victimizers came to mind—those who abuse children, those who scam innocent people, and those who blow themselves up with the purpose of killing others. Sadly, the list could have gone on. As I thought about these situations, I realized that the world's healing prayers were going out to the victims and their families.

But what about the perpetrators? Are they too evil either to deserve or desire our prayers? Does God disown them or ignore them because of their evil behavior? No, God loves every one of us. One of Jesus' parables illustrates this point. A shepherd who had one hundred sheep left the ninety-nine to rescue the one who had strayed (see Luke 15:3-7). Jesus concluded by saying: "Likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

Since God is infinite, divine Love, He loves all of His creation, which includes the true, spiritual identity of those we see as sinners. So I, too, wanted to learn how to see them as they are in God's sight; to know these individuals as God knows them. I had this choice: I could be repulsed and disgusted by their behavior, or I could pray to follow this instruction from the Bible: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). I chose this route.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Poem
The precious promise
April 26, 1999
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit