The Sunflower -- forgiveness

I’m reading another book -- No, I haven’t finished all of the other ones listed in an earlier blog, but I am making progress!

This book is entitled “The Sunflower” and is written by (if I recall correctly) Simon Wiesenthal. It is the story of a Jew in a concentration camp who is faced with the dying request of an SS officer to offer him forgiveness for all of the travesties he committed during his short life (21 years old) as a soldier and SS officer.

Simon wrestles with the question (I won’t tell you his decision -- it’ll spoil the book) with some others in his community. One man argues that Simon did not have the right to forgive the SS officer for all of the travesties he committed against other Jews, but that he could forgive him for any that he committed against Simon.

The book brings up an intriguing question: Can we as believers in Jesus Christ rightfully offer forgiveness to anyone for any crime, sin, horror, etc. committed against anyone? Do we have that right? Or are we imbued with the right to forgive only those who have offended us? And the right to forgive anyone for anything committed against anyone else is left in the hands of our Savior and God, Jesus Christ?

What do you think?