08/11/2025
From Pastor Mark
I have hesitated to write this post. Truthfully, I'm still not at ease about it. But, I think it is necessary, for reasons I will explain as we go.
On Saturday morning, I posted that our church had been broken into, and that several thousand dollars (mostly instruments) worth of items had been taken from my office.
I asked the community for help identifying the individual and filed a police report with the sheriff's department.
Both the community and the deputy who arrived went beyond what I could have expected. In a matter of hours, we knew who had taken the items. By 3pm Saturday afternoon, every single item had been returned, with one exception. (I'll get to that shortly)
In my original post, which is still up, I said that I was not interested in pressing charges and expressed forgiveness for the one who had stolen my things.
I had no idea what the outcome would be. Honestly, at the time I posted, I was certain the items were gone for good. I am thankful that they were not.
When the deputy met to discuss how I wanted to proceed, I told him that I wanted my items back, but that I did not want to press charges. However, I did want to meet with the individual if he was willing. I was told that since I was the victim, it was my choice whether to press charges. I decline.
The deputy was able to gather some of the items and return them to me. A short time later, it happened that most of the others were returned to me by the individual's brother. I told him that I would like to speak with his brother, and he promised to give him my number.
There was one item still missing. It was a small pennywhistle.
At 4pm, my phone rang. It was the person who stole my things. We spoke for several minutes, and he said he had the whistle with him at his workplace. I asked if we could meet on Sunday afternoon for coffee, and he could bring it to me then. He was hesitant, but agreed.
At 2:30 Sunday afternoon, I pulled up to the coffee shop, not knowing if he would show.
He did.
I bought him coffee. We sat and talked for over an hour. He was honest about what he had done and returned the whistle.
The particulars of our conversation are private, but I will tell you this. I forgave him. I do forgive him. When we parted ways, I hugged him. We set our next meeting.
Today we exchanged text messages.
You may totally disagree with my handling of the issue. That's your privilege. You may think he deserves to go to jail. You might even be right.
But I have spent my life preaching forgiveness. I believe in redemption. I believe that when the one offended participates in that redemption and offers forgiveness, it heals something that punitive justice simply cannot do.
The one who wrongs is also harmed by the wrong that they do, and a human life and soul are more valuable than material things.
I believe that forgiveness, freely given in love, is the most powerful force on earth.
And I do forgive him. And I love him. I have told him both of those things.
What he does with that forgiveness, and that love, is not up to me. I realize that he might simply cast it aside. That will be his burden, not mine.
But we can't fix a broken world if we are always out for blood. We can't heal if we don't risk our efforts being spurned.
This isn't about letting someone "off the hook." It's about active forgiveness, and the belief that redemption is possible. It acknowledges the deep wounds that people carry, and that those people, in turn, often wound others. Somewhere, we have to start healing.
I felt it was important to say these things, even though it's uncomfortable for me. I want my friends, my church, and my community to know that I believe what I preach, and although imperfectly, I try to practice it.
If you are local, you may know this person. I won't post his name. You are obviously free to hold whatever opinion of him you wish. But, if you are doing so for my sake, please consider forgiveness and mercy.
Last week, he did me wrong. Today, he is my newest friend.
Would I have responded that way if I hadn't gotten my things back? I hope so. It would have been harder, but I do believe I would have.
"He will have judgment without mercy who has shown no mercy..."
I believe that.
I hope you'll join me.
