“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd” – Exodus 23:2

On October 3, 1950, the Communist North Koreans arrived on the small Korean island of Chunnam. Using bamboo clubs and spears, they savagely beat 2000 people to death.

Kim Joon-gon watched his father and his wife die. Kim himself was left for dead. But he survived, crawling off into the hills to hide. “I hated the Communist militia,” says Kim. “But as I prayed in hiding for myself and for the liberation of Korea, the Lord visited me and gave me love, and a desire to forgive the enemies who had tortured and killed my family. He liberated me.”

In time, the Communists who had killed his wife and father were arrested. Because it was wartime, the police chief had authority to execute without trial. But as the chief prepared to kill the men, Kim pleaded, ‘Spare them. They were forced to kill.’ The police chief showed great surprise. ‘It was your family they killed! Why do you now ask for their lives?’ Kim replied quietly, ‘Because the Lord, whose I am and whom I serve, would have me show mercy to them.’ The Communists were spared execution because of Kim’s plea.

News of his action spread among other Communist supporters in the area. When Kim later ascended a mountain to preach to Communists hiding out, he was not killed. Many of the Communists became Christians, and when Kim finally left the island there was a flourishing church of 108 members.

Christ calls us to follow Him, not the crowd. Today in prayer, thank Jesus for His supreme example of love and seek to love and forgive those who have wronged you.

“We pardon in the degree that we love.” – Francois de la Rochefoucauld

God’s Word: “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” – Proverbs 17:9

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2004, Devotional E-Mail DEVOTIONS IN EXODUS, LEVITICUS, NUMBERS AND DEUTERONOMY pkennedy@devotional.com