Post by Hillbilly-=Of-God=- (Steve) on Apr 15, 2008 18:15:40 GMT -5
well, Ive known this story for a while now, but it just occured to me that it would be a great inspiration of mine to share, so here goes...
At my highschool, I have a teacher who we will call "Mr. Chris". Mr. Chris is about 40ish, medium build with slight hair deficiancy as he says. He is also blind in one eye, and has a identical scars on each temple.
When Mr. Chris was ten, he lived in florida, near the everglades. One day, December 23 to be exact, Mr. Chris was walking home when a family friend stopped by in a motor home and asked Chris if he could help "Mr. John" pick out a Christmas gift for Chris's father. In those days, it was normal that if someone was a family friend, that they could be trusted. Mr. Chris hadn't seen Mr. John in several years, but got into the car anyway. But there was a reason Chris hadnt seen Mr John in a few years. Mr. John was a former employee of Mr. Chris's dad, and had been fired for drinking on the job. Over the years, Mr. John figured that the best way to get back at Mr. Chris's dad was to take the most important thing to him, Mr. Chris. So with young Mr. Chris in the motorhome, Mr. John drove through the city, and started twards the everglades. Mr. Chris didnt know any better, and figured they were going to some store in the next town. After about an hour, Mr John turned down a dirt road and followed it for about 30 minutes. He then pulled the motorhome over and went into the back of the car to get Mr Chris a "Present" he had for him. Mr. John came back to the front with an old ice pick. Without saying a word, Mr John proceded to stabb Mr. Chris in the chest 12 times, pericing a lung. But Mr. John suddenly stopped, and then drug Mr. Chris into the everglades about 1000 yards, and then pulled out a .38 caliber pistol and shot Mr. Chris through the left temple. Mr. Chris immediatly fell to the ground. Mr. John left Chris for dead and drove off back to the city.
Six days went by.
On the sixth day, Mr. Chris awoke with no memory of the events prior, and managed to crawl back to the road and wait for a car to come by. Miraculously, one came by within 15 minutes and rushed him to the hospital. Mr. Chris was still under the impression that Christmas was still two days away, and wanted to go get his father a gift.
Within a week, police found Mr. John and his moble home, along with the ice pick and .38 caliber pistol. Mr. John was later tried and convicted of attemped murder and sentenced to the maximum sentance.
For about a year, Mr. Chris lived in constant fear and slept at the foot of his parents bed every night. But when Mr. Chris was twelve, he accepted Christ as his savior and was able to eventually sleep by himself. He was left blind in the left eye and two identical scars on his temples, along with the 12 stab scars on his chest. But by the grace of God, thats all the injury he sustained. The bullet had midded his brain by about 1/16 of an inch, saving his life.
Several years later, 1996 i think, Mr. Chris learned that his attacker was dying of lung cancer in a Florida hospital. After praying with his wife, he decided to go to Florida and see his attacker for the first time since the attack. When Mr. Chris walked into the room, Mr. John immediatly recognized him and broke down in tears. He thought that Mr. Chris was there to watch him die a painful death all alone. But that wasnt Mr. Chris's plan. Mr. Chris pulled up a chair, and began to cry along side Mr. John, sobbing "I forgive you, I forgive you". the two cried into the night and Mr. Chirs was able to tell Mr. John for the first time the story of Jesus. Later that night, Mr. John accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Mr. John went to meet the Lord the next morning.
Mr. Chris now works as a religion teacher at my school, and is one of the most loved teachers. His personality makes us happy even when our day has gone totally wrong.
His story is a good reminder of how much greater God's forgiveness is. I can hardly grasp forgiveness like Mr. Chris gave to Mr. John, much less God's forgivness of us.
Whenever i am upset or angry at someone, i just think of Mr. Chris and I think "if he can forgive Mr. John, then I can forgive anybody"
At my highschool, I have a teacher who we will call "Mr. Chris". Mr. Chris is about 40ish, medium build with slight hair deficiancy as he says. He is also blind in one eye, and has a identical scars on each temple.
When Mr. Chris was ten, he lived in florida, near the everglades. One day, December 23 to be exact, Mr. Chris was walking home when a family friend stopped by in a motor home and asked Chris if he could help "Mr. John" pick out a Christmas gift for Chris's father. In those days, it was normal that if someone was a family friend, that they could be trusted. Mr. Chris hadn't seen Mr. John in several years, but got into the car anyway. But there was a reason Chris hadnt seen Mr John in a few years. Mr. John was a former employee of Mr. Chris's dad, and had been fired for drinking on the job. Over the years, Mr. John figured that the best way to get back at Mr. Chris's dad was to take the most important thing to him, Mr. Chris. So with young Mr. Chris in the motorhome, Mr. John drove through the city, and started twards the everglades. Mr. Chris didnt know any better, and figured they were going to some store in the next town. After about an hour, Mr John turned down a dirt road and followed it for about 30 minutes. He then pulled the motorhome over and went into the back of the car to get Mr Chris a "Present" he had for him. Mr. John came back to the front with an old ice pick. Without saying a word, Mr John proceded to stabb Mr. Chris in the chest 12 times, pericing a lung. But Mr. John suddenly stopped, and then drug Mr. Chris into the everglades about 1000 yards, and then pulled out a .38 caliber pistol and shot Mr. Chris through the left temple. Mr. Chris immediatly fell to the ground. Mr. John left Chris for dead and drove off back to the city.
Six days went by.
On the sixth day, Mr. Chris awoke with no memory of the events prior, and managed to crawl back to the road and wait for a car to come by. Miraculously, one came by within 15 minutes and rushed him to the hospital. Mr. Chris was still under the impression that Christmas was still two days away, and wanted to go get his father a gift.
Within a week, police found Mr. John and his moble home, along with the ice pick and .38 caliber pistol. Mr. John was later tried and convicted of attemped murder and sentenced to the maximum sentance.
For about a year, Mr. Chris lived in constant fear and slept at the foot of his parents bed every night. But when Mr. Chris was twelve, he accepted Christ as his savior and was able to eventually sleep by himself. He was left blind in the left eye and two identical scars on his temples, along with the 12 stab scars on his chest. But by the grace of God, thats all the injury he sustained. The bullet had midded his brain by about 1/16 of an inch, saving his life.
Several years later, 1996 i think, Mr. Chris learned that his attacker was dying of lung cancer in a Florida hospital. After praying with his wife, he decided to go to Florida and see his attacker for the first time since the attack. When Mr. Chris walked into the room, Mr. John immediatly recognized him and broke down in tears. He thought that Mr. Chris was there to watch him die a painful death all alone. But that wasnt Mr. Chris's plan. Mr. Chris pulled up a chair, and began to cry along side Mr. John, sobbing "I forgive you, I forgive you". the two cried into the night and Mr. Chirs was able to tell Mr. John for the first time the story of Jesus. Later that night, Mr. John accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Mr. John went to meet the Lord the next morning.
Mr. Chris now works as a religion teacher at my school, and is one of the most loved teachers. His personality makes us happy even when our day has gone totally wrong.
His story is a good reminder of how much greater God's forgiveness is. I can hardly grasp forgiveness like Mr. Chris gave to Mr. John, much less God's forgivness of us.
Whenever i am upset or angry at someone, i just think of Mr. Chris and I think "if he can forgive Mr. John, then I can forgive anybody"
