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HOPE TRIUMPHS

I FORGIVE YOU FOR THE BREAK-AND-ENTER

Image credit: KINDEL MEDIA on Pexels.

By REVEREND TONY ZEKVELD

Wow! What a shock – arriving home early morning from a trip to find two of our windows smashed, bits of glass all over the floor, and a number of items destroyed with a stick.

Yet nothing was stolen. This I find more surprising (of course, our home is filled with books). The worst part of this is not the items being smashed, or the expense, but the sense of being violated.

A number of police officers came and carried out their work of investigation. As I was pondering over what had happened, I was thinking, ‘What might be a proper response to the person or persons who broke in?’ Suppose they find the person or persons who did it? What should they do? Spend time in jail?

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced of the law of restitution. The law of restitution is about restoring something lost, stolen, or broken to its proper owner. It says, ‘You broke this, so you should pay for it’. It’s a principle we find in the Bible. Rather than arresting a person and putting him in jail, why not arrest him and put him to work, until he has restored everything he smashed or destroyed? Then set him free.

I mentioned this to the officer as one way of responding to this. And once he is finished paying everything off, then invite the thief or pillager to your table for a full dinner (assuming it is safe to do so). Eat with him. Show hospitality. It’s time to talk. “What was all this about? What is the issue? Is there a way we may help with something?” It’s time to reconcile. He has paid his debt. Matters are dealt with openly and honestly. I’m not sure how spending time in jail pays the debt. It’s still his debt. True, you may have assistance from your insurance company. But the annual payment to the insurance company is also your cost.

There are other benefits to the law of restitution. It may deter him from doing it again, and breaking into someone else’s home. It may put an end to a perpetuating cycle of the one breaking-in. But more importantly, the person is confronted with his guilt. He has to deal with it.  Hopefully, there is forgiveness and an opportunity to share the message of God’s forgiveness in Christ with him. It’s a forgiveness God has demonstrated so wondrously toward me in Christ.

Should that happen to you, how you would deal with those breaking into your house?

I would love to hear from you. 

Reverend Tony Zekveld can be reached at 416-740-0543, www.hope-centre.ca and via email at tzekveld@primus.ca.