Metmom said it well. I can only add that the word “forgiveness” in the Bible is also “liberation”, that is, they release him from any debt he owes them personally, in favor of his paying his debt to society. As Metmom said.
Christian forgiveness is not virtue-signaling as some here have said. It is a well-reasoned, counter-cultural, obedient response to an evil received. I would only hope I could respond the same in the same circumstance.
Exactly. They never requested that his sentence be commuted either.
It actually shows great faith on their part as they are saying they are trusting God to deal with it justly, as HE sees fit and believing that He will, not as they desire to have justice dealt out.
I would really struggle to do this, myself. I can forgive offenses done to me far easier than offenses done against my kids.
Mama Bear, I guess.....
OTOH, neither would I want to give the guy one more minute of my life and have him ruin the rest of our lives any more than he already had. The father said it well.
It IS liberation. For the family, not for the man.
So the parents may still hope that he goes to jail for his whole life? Would they be "ok" if he walked out of jail today, as free as a bird? I understand that forgiveness is about "me" and not the wrong-doer, otherwise, as you say, one will be eaten alive by rage and thoughts of revenge.
I am truly looking for my own practical, working definition of "forgiveness" as I have yet to find an acceptable one.