The Power of Forgiveness
In September 2011, I received an e-mail from the Clay County Sheriff's Office. They were hosting a woman traveling across Florida sharing of the dangers of drunk driving. The reason for the contact to the church was to see if we would be able to help with some of the costs of housing this woman during her stay in the county.
Our response was to cover the entire hotel cost this week just to ensure that she would be able to come and those in the community could hear the story. After committing to this, we were also offered the opportunity to host her here at the church one evening for a community assembly. We agreed.
After scheduling this event, I read more about this woman. Her name is Renée Napier. In 2002, her daughter Meagan and friend Lisa Dickson were driving home from a night at the beach when their vehicle was hit at high speed by a vehicle driven by 24-year-old Eric Smallridge.
Eric's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.
Meagan and Lisa were killed instantly as their car was hit and subsequently wrapped around a tree.
It was May 11, 2002, Mother's Day weekend.
The story is tragic and the trial that was to follow put all the details in the forefront for the family members of Meagan, Lisa, and Eric to experience again.
About 18 months later, Eric was sentenced to two 11-year prison sentences for DUI Manslaughter. That sentence was changed to two 11-year concurrent sentences following the request of the families of Meagan and Lisa at a later hearing.
I read about this on Renee's website and noticed one word that was prominent throughout. That word was "FORGIVENESS."
I had Renée's email address from the Sheriff's office, so I reached out explaining that we were so glad to host her. I mentioned that as believers, we understand the importance of forgiveness and that I have preached about the revolutionary power of it. I asked if she had a faith background and wondered if that led her to be able to promote forgiveness in such a way.
It wasn't long before my phone rang. Renee had called me. She said she was writing an email response and decided that a phone call would be better. We talked for quite some time and she shared how her faith in Jesus Christ was what enabled and empowered her to forgive Eric. I was so encouraged and overwhelmed by this. To hear a mother that had lost one of her children in such a way offer true forgiveness was incredible.
The story does not end there.
Forgiveness is contagious. Lisa's family offered this as well. Renée's other children did too. Yet, I don't want you to think it was easy. As Renée shares, each person came to this point in their own time. It meant burying the bitterness and removing the anger and letting God empower them. Apart from Jesus Christ, this story of forgiveness would not happen.
Renée was excited to come here to Orange Park. They had been trying to figure out how to get their message into the churches, knowing they would have more freedom to share about Jesus in these venues.
I knew our teenagers face the temptations of drinking and partying all too often and need to be reminded of these dangers. Even if the message is to plan ahead and have a designated driver, it may just save a life.
However, deeper than the DUI message is one that simply must be heard by all. The revolutionary power of forgiveness. Forgiveness is so mis-defined today. Forgiveness is not saying to another person "What you did to me is OK." It's not. It's not OK that Eric Smallridge drove drunk and killed two young ladies. That's never going to be OK.
Forgiveness goes much deeper. It's being able to say "What you did is not OK, but I choose not to hold it against you."
Lives have been changed through Renée's and others' forgiveness in this story. Eric has come to know Christ personally as well. He will be the first to tell you that there are many "chain-gang conversions" in jail. Yet, after spending time with him and talking to the deputies assigned to him this week, it seems that Eric is the real deal.
