Sunday, August 30, 2009

Think No Evil by Jonas Beiler and Shawn Smucker



Whatever you've been through, can you find it within you to forgive? That's the question that yearns to be answered as you read about the shooting at the Amish school in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania...three years ago this month.

Jonas Beiler chose to leave the Amish faith, but the Amish faith hasn't left him. He is the perfect author to tell this story, and he captures the essence of the Amish faith exquisitely. I was captivated by his description of forgiveness and reconciliation, and found myself longing for that kind of faith in action.

Not long after the shooting occurred, families were caring for the loved ones left behind in the shooter's family. Gathering around them, they were drawn into the community that is the Amish, to find hope and healing amidst tragedy and destruction.

No one can fully understand what drove the shooter on that fateful day. What kind of pain does a person have to keep inside him, to drive him to do such horrid and anger filled things?

But the focus isn't on the crime...it's on the message of forgiveness. Jonas Beiler and Shawn Smucker give just enough detail to put you at the scene, but somehow they keep this from being a book about a horrible tragedy.

Instead, it's a lesson on forgiveness that will remain with you long after the last page is turned. I wouldn't have missed this story for anything. I wish the events that brought its telling about hadn't happened, but it's books like this one that truly give God glory amidst the pain.

I'm praying God build these lessons into my own life, so that I can live a life of faith like these people have done and are doing. Such peace! I'm giving "Think No Evil" five out of five bookmarks, with a purple lunchbox as a charm...in memory of the little one who once carried it to school...

May God bless and be with all who were touched by these events, and may they continue to teach us on their faith journey.

Happy Reading!

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1 comment:

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) said...

This one sounds terrific. The ability of these people to forgive just amazes me.