Being Good Vs. Faith - Amber Guyger

Being Good vs. Faith - Amber Guyger

On September 6, 2018, off-duty Dallas Police Department patrol officer Amber Guyger entered the Dallas, Texas, apartment of Botham Jean and fatally shot him. Guyger said that she had entered the apartment believing it was her own and that she shot Jean believing he was a burglar. The fact that Guyger, a white police officer shot and killed Jean, an unarmed black man, and was initially only charged with manslaughter resulted in protests and accusations of racial bias. On October 1, 2019, Guyger was found guilty of murder. The next day, she received a sentence of ten years in prison.

After the trial, the younger brother Brant on the stand gave an impressive impact statement to Amber: “I wasn’t going to say this in front of my family or anyone but, I don’t even want you to go to jail. I want the best for you. Because I know that exactly what Botham would want you to do. And the best would be give your life to Christ. I love you as a person. I don’t wish anything bad on you. I don’t know if this is possible but can I give her a hug please? Please?”

The judge Tammy Kemp said, “Yes.” And then Brant went and he and Amber met in the middle and hugged. He offered and showed grace, kindness, and forgiving. On the video you could hear Amber weeping loudly.

Tammy Kemp consoled the family then went to her chambers and got her personal bible and went to Amber and said, “You can have mine. I have 3 or 4 more at home. This is the one I use every day. This is your job for the next month. Right here, John 3:16.” Amber then hugs the judge and then said something in the Judge’s ear.

The judge replied, “Mam, it’s not because I’m good, it’s because I believe in Christ! I’m not so good and you haven’t done so much that you can’t be forgiven. You did something bad in one moment in time. What you do now matters.” The judge then urged Amber to take the bible with her.

If you haven’t seen this video, I encourage you to find it on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/y_qpdyAuLu4?list=FLAmq2HOuG6Gg31GtAONC0EQ

For Amber Guyger, her mistake in a point in time, messed up her whole life and condemned her to prison. However, an act of kindness, love, and forgiveness was shown which could ultimately save her if she can diligently seek the scriptures and put her trust in Jesus for salvation.

Have you ever messed up badly and wondered how or even if forgiveness were possible for you? The good news is that forgiveness is possible!

Romans 3:9-31

9 What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. 10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.