Amish Grace: Enemy Love Reveals God - Anabaptist (1 John 4:7-8)

In the autumn of 2006, a small Amish community in Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania, was shattered by unspeakable tragedy. A man named Charles Roberts entered the local schoolhouse, taking the lives of five young girls before turning the gun on himself. The world watched in horror as the news unraveled, but what unfolded in the days that followed was nothing short of miraculous—a profound expression of love that defied human understanding.

Imagine, if you will, the scene at the Roberts family's home. As the sun set on that fateful day, neighbors began to gather, not with anger or resentment, but with compassion. The Amish community, deeply rooted in their Anabaptist beliefs, chose to extend agape—a selfless love that embraces even the unlovable. They organized a fund for the widow of the man who had caused their heartbreak, recognizing that she too was a victim of his tragic choices.

One witness described how, during the funeral of Charles Roberts, members of the Amish community offered their condolences to his grieving family, speaking words of comfort and forgiveness. They did not see him solely as a monster; they recognized the complex humanity within him. As they embraced his wife and children, the air was thick with a distinct sense of hesed, that steadfast love and mercy so intrinsic to God's character.

In that moment, they revealed God to a watching world—a world that often equates justice with retribution. Their radical act of love bore witness to 1 John 4:7-8, where we learn that to love like this is to know God. The Amish showed us that true love transcends even the deepest wounds, illuminating the divine nature of a God who loves us, not just in our moments of joy, but in our darkest hours. Friends, this is what it means to embody shalom, peace that surpasses understanding. As we reflect on their example, let us ask ourselves: How can we, too, love our enemies and reveal the God who is love?