"It must be said this day that perhaps the most powerful expression of real faith, of real Christianity that I've ever been privileged to witness, took place somewhere about 1:15 this afternoon." -Rev. Tiger Pennington
(Kansas City, MO)—Few things could be worse than knowing you were responsible for the death of a child. The self-condemnation associated with such a tragedy is said to be nearly impossible to live with. Some soldiers of war have faced such consequences, as have abortive mothers, and people simply in the "wrong place at the wrong time." They feel unworthy of forgiveness, particularly because no action on their part can ever bring back the life that was lost at their hands.
So, imagine the power of forgiveness that comes directly from the family of the loved one who was killed. Such was the case recently in Kansas.
Rev. Tiger Pennington of First Baptist Church of North Kansas City, was reportedly moved to tears recently during the funeral of an 11-month-old baby girl struck and killed by a car in the church parking lot on September 16.
According to a Kansas City Star report, Autumn Nicole Humphrey's parents asked to meet with the 88-year-old man who had driven the car that killed their daughter.
"The most real expressions of faith and Christianity I think I've ever seen in my life occurred inside just a few minutes ago as Richard and Amanda and that entire family embraced the driver of the car and said, 'We know it was an accident. We forgive you,'" said Pennington.
Not only that, but the report notes Autumn's parents asked the man to sit with them during the memorial service, where the man was able to hear the recurring theme of forgiveness preached throughout the service.
"We want him here," they said. "We want him to know we forgive him and we know it was an accident."