It’s not normal to return good for evil or to love one’s enemies. For most of world history, we have accounts of people seeking revenge for wrongs committed against them, hating their enemies, and allowing anger to supersede patience and mercy.

Despite this, it’s easy to think that turning the other cheek and abiding by the Golden Rule are normal behaviors and attitudes. That’s because we have been surrounded by so many good people who are followers of Jesus Christ. It requires constant effort to maintain this fragile balance of love for everyone against our baser instincts. And we could be witnessing the end of an era if Christianity becomes less dominant in the world.

What We Expect

There are plenty of accounts of people acting in Christian ways in our country. When Charlie Kirk’s wife forgave her husband’s alleged killer, it felt wonderful. And expected. That is what Christians do. They forgive others’ sins against them as they desire to be forgiven by God for their own sins.

In September, when members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were gunned down by an assailant in Grand Blanc, Michigan, there was no cry of outrage. There was only mourning, forgiveness, and an outpouring of love toward his family. Members of that church donated a great deal of money to support the gunman’s grieving wife and children after he died in that attack.

I remember nearly 20 years ago when someone murdered Amish children, and those good people mourned such a horrible act. Killing Amish people when they are peaceful and full of Christian virtue is unthinkable. The Amish reacted perfectly to that injustice. Rather than seeking revenge or cursing their murderer, they forgave him and moved on with their lives of quiet devotion to God.

What Happens When Christlike Behavior Is Lost

If you’ve noticed people acting in strange ways that don’t match these Christian ideals, you’re not alone. I recently heard someone pondering over the loss of civility when it comes to everyday occurrences like driving. Some people seem to be losing their cool in traffic and getting angry at each other at the slightest provocation.

This could be the result of many things, such as relationship breakdowns, financial worries, or political disagreements. But I think it’s something more fundamental. Christianity has long been at the core of everything we do as Americans. We hold ourselves to a high standard because we have been so blessed and favored by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Of whom much is given much is required, as I learned from a young age.

I hope that most of us are doing our best to stay calm and collected in stressful times. It’s not easy to forgive, but it’s necessary. Imagine a world where Christians suddenly acted out their worst impulses and failed to follow Jesus Christ’s example of forgiveness. It would look like a famous scene from the 1985 film Witness.

Unexpected Retaliation

In Witness, Harrison Ford plays a hardened cop named John Book who is forced to hide out among the Amish when he catches his fellow officers and corrupt police captain in a drug conspiracy. He’s not used to the quiet life on a farm, nor is he prepared to turn the other cheek and forgive injustice.

At one point, he learns that his partner at the precinct is dead, most likely killed by his captain. He goes into town to call the captain and tell him he’s going to take revenge soon. On the way home, he sees some harmless Amish people getting harassed by cruel tourists. And then this happens.

What’s remarkable about this scene is that the tourists aren’t provoking just anyone. The two actors they are taunting are Alexander Godunov and Viggo Mortensen, better known as Karl from Die Hard and Strider/Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, respectively.

Those roles were in the future, so audiences in 1985 had no idea what they were capable of. But we can look back on this scene in a whole new light, knowing that Godunov is perfectly able to destroy anyone who gets in his way, and Mortensen is able to behead Orcs twice his size. Their restraint in this scene speaks volumes, especially when John Book explodes in anger. The bullies should thank their lucky stars that they were still breathing before Book even showed up.

It’s wrong to treat people cruelly, even if we think we can get away with it because the victims won’t fight back. The bully in this scene was so sure that he could do whatever he wanted because he had no fear of retaliation. Little did he know that he wasn’t dealing with a member of the Amish community. His entire worldview was shattered when a man who was dressed like the Amish fought back. He wasn’t prepared for that.

This scene is extremely unsettling and brutal because it’s so frightening to see an Amish man (even a pretended one) reveal the violence he’s capable of. The Amish are synonymous with peace. Once struck, they don’t strike back.

Follow Our Exemplar

In the past, people have been able to count on everyone around them acting in Christian ways, forgiving bad behavior and continuing to love as they are commanded to do. What if that assumption proves wrong like it did with John Book? Things would get very messy and sad in a hurry. There’s no catharsis from Book’s actions. They hurt everyone involved, even bystanders who simply witnessed the bloody aftermath. I don’t want that to happen in real life, but we seem to be heading in that direction.

We must not forget our Exemplar who suffered and died for our sins. If Jesus Christ could forgive those who unjustly crucified Him and loved us enough to take our sins upon Himself, then we can certainly forgive others their trespasses against us. We may not be Amish, but we should all be on a mission to improve ourselves every day and prepare to meet God after we’ve finished our work in this life. May we all be a witness of Christ in our thoughts and actions.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

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