Does God require you or me to love a murderer?

Let me tell you about my son’s death, and you decide if God requires me to love his murderer.

What will you do when the unimaginable happens?

My childhood was painful, so I ran away when I became a teenager. I married an abusive husband who cheated on me. He was an alcoholic and a criminal, but he gave me the best gift anyone can give, our beautiful son.

When my son was one year old, a police officer rang my doorbell in the early morning hours, informing me that my husband had died in a fiery car accident. Still in my twenties, I was now a single mom and a widow. I clung to two anchors—the wonderful gift of my only child and my faith in a loving, forgiving, merciful heavenly Father.

Several years later, I remarried a wonderful man. Life was finally looking up for me when the middle-of-the-night knock every parent dreads arrived at my front door. A murderer’s bullet had taken the life of my nineteen-year-old son Luke.

Does God require me to love my son’s murderer?

Leviticus 19:18 says, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

Romans 13:8 says, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

1 Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

All of these verses tell us we need to love, but none mention anything about me being required as a Christian to love my son’s killer. I’m not sure we have the answer yet.

Does God require me to love my son’s murderer?

Let’s look at one more verse for clarity. Luke 6:35 says, “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”

This verse hit the nail on the head. God requires me to love my son’s killer and to do good to him. Then I will receive great rewards, which I might not see until I get to heaven.

Is there someone you need to love?

Has someone hurt you? Was it a family member, a coworker, or a friend? You have to choose if you will love them. God wants us to have His comfort and to feel His love. He wants us to know that He is with us, that we aren’t alone, but we must first be willing to love so we can receive God’s comfort.

God is challenging you right now to love. You may first need to forgive someone so that you can love them. You need to have faith that God will help you do this. Put your trust in Him and tell them that you forgive them, and then God will work in your heart to help you learn to love them.

It is very important to remember that Jesus died on the cross to forgive us for all of our sins, and through grace, we receive salvation. He expects us to forgive in the same way.

Did I forgive my son’s murderer?

Some of you may really try to forgive, but your pain won’t allow you to. You forgive only to change your mind. This happens over and over. Or maybe your friends tell you that the person does not deserve your forgiveness. This is precisely what happened to me.

But I chose to unconditionally forgive my son’s killer because God commands me to.

But, do I love him?

All my life, I’ve prayed for God to give me His eyes. To make me Christ-like in character, actions, mannerisms, and conduct. God never ceases to amaze me with his power.

When I walked into the courtroom and saw my son’s killer with his attorney, I noticed none of his family showed up. At that moment, God gave me His eyes. So much so that I wanted to go and sit on the other side of the courtroom. I didn’t want the killer to feel alone.

God broke me and made me feel a love for this person that I can’t explain, and He will do the same for you too. But you have to take the first step and ask God to help you.

Is there someone you need to forgive so that you can love them?