Representing God Well

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It appears to be a random killing. It was so senseless that it’s got to be a random one. Robert Godwin Sr. of Cleveland, Ohio, a 74-year-old retiree, was on his way home after enjoying an Easter meal with his son’s family. Then, a stranger walked up to him. After a brief chat, he shot Godwin point-blank. The suspect later on uploaded the video of the cold-blooded murder on Facebook.
In the video, apparently recorded by the suspect, Steve Stephens, a person is getting out of a car in a residential area and says, “Here’s somebody I’m about to kill. I’m about to kill this guy right here. An old dude.” The person walks up, stops Godwin on the sidewalk and talks to him. Then the video shows a gun pointed at Godwin’s head. The gun is fired. Godwin recoils and falls to the ground. [1]
Facebook already removed the video. As of this writing, the police manhunt is still ongoing. But, while grieving their father’s senseless murder, his children shocked CNN’s Anderson Cooper when they expressed forgiveness for the suspect in a live interview. Cooper, seemingly surprised, asked, “You do?” [2] They answered,
We absolutely do. I honestly can say right now I hold no animosity towards this man because I know that he’s a sick individual… I promise you I could not do that (forgive) if I didn’t know God, if I didn’t know him as my God and my Savior. I could not forgive that man. And I feel no animosity against him at all. I actually feel sadness in my heart for this man. [3]
Cooper ended with the interview with these words, “I wish I was a Godwin right now because you all represent your dad well.” [4]

When we forgive, we represent God well.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (Ephesians 4:31-5:1, ESV. Emphasis added) 
When we love our enemies, we prove to the world that we are His children. It speaks volumes about the faith we claim that we have for Him. Our words must be matched with our works for the world to acknowledge that we are His followers.
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:43-55, emphasis added)
Brothers and sisters, let us represent God well!

 [1] Doug Criss (18 April 2017), “The Facebook victim was a granddad walking home after Easter meal,” CNN, retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/.

 [2] Dan Andros (18 April 2017), “Children of Man Murdered on Facebook Give Stunning Testimony During Anderson Cooper Interview,” FaithWire, retrieved from http://www.faithwire.com. Emphasis added.

 [3] Ibid, emphasis added.

 [4] Ibid.

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