Conviction (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Last night Greg and I watched a movie called “Conviction” – starring Hillary Swank, based on the actual events of a man sent to prison for a murder he did not commit. He was convicted by a faulty legal system without DNA testing to prove him guilty. Because of this injustice his sister decided to dedicate her adult life to becoming a lawyer so she could one day represent him, run a formal investigation and then have him released after being proven innocent by testing DNA samples that miraculously were not destroyed after 10 years as was usually the case in the state of Massachusetts. It took time but she was finally able to get him released 20 years after his original conviction.
This movie moved me so much that I even dreamt about it last night. In the dream I was friends with the sister and brother and was witnessing first hand the day he was released from prison and sent on his way home. I was one of the special people allowed in to take pictures of them in a secluded room. The absolute joy of these siblings was tangible in my dream. And I was moved beyond words knowing he had missed his daughter growing up and countless other things due to a corrupted legal system that put him away for life in prison without the possibility of parole.
It is impossible to put myself in the place of these siblings whose love for each other is immeasurable. To simply sacrifice myself for another in that extreme is incomprehensible to me.
The Bible tells us that “while we were yet sinners – Christ died for us” – we were unloving, unwilling and unknown – and yet – Christ still died – sacrificing Himself for us so that we would not have to miss out on anything good in this life and the next. He gave the best for us even though we were guilty. Someone might have tried to rescue us, like this sister did her brother because he was innocent – but only God’s great love will do and go beyond the reasonable limits – to find out and seek us out long before we really know and understand.
And I’m grateful. God loves me that much. And He loves you that much too.
God Bless
