‘ I am a Muslim, and I am thirty five years old. To my second son who was just born, I gave the name “Jihad.” So he would not forget the testament of his mother - revenge. The first time I put my baby at my breast I told him, “May this milk choke you if you forget.” So be it. The Serbs taught me to hate. For the last two months there was nothing in me. No pain, no bitterness. Only hatred. I taught these children to love. I did. I am a teacher of literature. I was born in Ilijas and I almost died there. My student, Zoran, the only son of my neighbour, urinated into my mouth. As the bearded hooligans standing around laughed, he told me: “You are good for nothing else, you stinking Muslim woman…” I do not know whether I first heard the cry or felt the blow. My former colleague, a teacher of physics, was yelling like mad, “Ustasha, ustasha….” And kept hitting me. Wherever he could. I have become insensitive to pain. But my soul? It hurts. I taught them to love and all the while they were making preparations to destroy everything that is not of the Orthodox faith. Jihad - war. This is the only way… ‘ (quoted in Zekjko Vukovic, The Killing of Sarajevo, 134).
This most extraordinary story was relayed to me in Miroslav Volf’s fine book, Exclusion and Embrace (p111). In this work, Volf, who himself grew up in the midst of conflict in the Balkans, tackles the tough questions surrounding reconciliation. How would it be possible for this lady to be reconciled to her enemies?
Her experience is shocking and I’m sure that there are many stories in our world like it. I’m also certain that we each know some degree of a similar rage in our lives.
For me, this story highlights a number of issues that I’d like to explore some more. I would like to consider the gravity of Jesus’ instruction to love one’s enemies (Matt 5:43ff). In particular, I’ve been provoked to consider the difficulties that God has faced in reconciling with me.
“…while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…” (Rom 5:10)
At the 8am service this morning I was struck by the words of one of the songs that we sang. I’m usually not in my finest form at this time of the morning, and add to that the temperature drop when you enter that building it’s striking that anything at all manages to cross my mind! But honestly, I was very moved as I was given words to express what I long to say - How sweet the name of Jesus sounds! I’ve been humming the tune all day!
I looked down at the author and, behold, it was our good friend John Newton. I have to find out some more and report back about this man. In the meantime, enjoy with me his song…
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.
Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!
By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.
Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.
Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!
Well, on Tuesday night I went to see Amazing Grace with a good friend… I thought that I’d write down some of my thoughts.
I really enjoyed it! William Wilberforce was an inspirational person whose conscience drove him to do something both difficult and important. As a movie, I thought that the script was good, and that most of the acting was done quite well. On the other hand, there were some really awkward moments that either the director or the editor could have spared me.
Most refreshing was the clear presentation that Wilberforce’s actions grew out of a Christian conviction. There were a couple of scenes in particular that almost brought me to tears - Firstly, Wilberforce’s wonder at God and all he had done; and secondly, John Newton’s line: “All I know is that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Saviour!”
Most disappointing was what I thought was the film’s failure to relate the song Amazing Grace to the abolition of Slavery. How could this be the title of the film and yet so little filter through? As I looked for what motivated the characters against slavery, it drew mostly from the cruel stories of African slave ships and the conviction that all people are created equal. This was good and clear. But I failed to see the connection between this and the freedom God has given people in Christ. John Newton, writer of the song was pictured as an eccentric and a slave of his conscience - and his song speaks so clearly of freedom!
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T’was Grace that taught…
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear…
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares…
we have already come.
T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far…
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me…
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be…
as long as life endures.
When we’ve been here ten thousand years…
bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise…
then when we’ve first begun.
I find it difficult to put my finger on. Surely the Christian response isn’t motivated by guilt but by grace. Perhaps what wasn’t communicated in the movie is what Paul writes to Titus and to the Ephesians:
“For the grace of God has appeared, with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,†(Titus 2:11-12 HCSB)
“For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are His creation—created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.†(Ephesians 2:8-10 HCSB)
I guess my critique stems largely from my cynicism of Hollywood. Was this presentation an historically accurate reflection on Newton, Pitt and Wilberforce, or, rather, it feeding off the popular trend for social justice with Bono, Geldof, and McCartney? Surely ‘Amazing Grace’ is more amazing than people properly meeting their responsibilities to other people… I would love to hear your opinions on this…
Despite these feelings, and now that I’ve got them off my chest, I came away really wanting to be like William Wilberforce. I want to do the right thing and not be swayed by the difficulties that might stand in the way. I hope that God gives us more people like him.