Open Doors look at how John M Perkins forgave his persecutors

John M Perkins

I have been thinking about the link between justice and freedom recently, inspired by a piece that Switchfoot front man Jon Foreman wrote on John M Perkins.

Perkins, a civil rights activist and Christian community leader, has poured out his life for peace, love, and equality. Even in the hands of oppression, he has chosen the path of love over violence, of compassion over hatred. Perkins is telling a story with his life, and this story is proof that love is louder than hatred. It is a story of justice and freedom.

Foreman notes that love looks into the future and sees possibilities that do not currently exist. We need to actively choose to pursue love. Love for ALL. This is what Jesus was getting at when he said: "Bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you." (Luke 6:27-36)

What does this look like in our daily lives? Perkins looks past his present circumstances, he sees the possibilities when we express God's heart. That includes loving those that we find it hard to, let alone our persecutors! Oh how easily we focus on people's negative points! Foreman writes, "Dr. Perkins had compassion on even the people who violently beat him - almost to his death. He saw beyond the exterior of hate and chose to forgive. He refused to believe that his racist oppressors were his enemies. Which is to say, that John M. Perkins chose to see the best in them, as they could be rather than as they are."

How can we keep, or even get, this attitude? Paul talks about us being "citizens of heaven." When we give ourselves to the bigger picture, when our identity is rooted in the fact that heaven is our real home, when we see that, as the psalmist wrote, "your love is better than life itself,"- then we will see God's heart.

There are heroes living this all around the world today. Christians are working tirelessly under severe persecution. Working in love, but not in freedom. I am constantly challenged by these words from a persecuted believer, who was locked up in a shipping container in Eritrea for her faith: "If I could sing in prison, imagine what you can do for God's glory with your freedom."

Just imagine.

Philosopher and Christianity critic Nietzsche once said, "they must sing better songs before I shall believe in their redeemer." What a challenge. We all have stories to tell, songs to sing, and pictures to paint with our lives; may they be of justice, and may they be of freedom.

Stand up for freedom today by signing the Right to Believe petition.