Forgiveness in Action–here’s one of the most dramatic examples I have ever seen or heard.

In fact, one veteran court reporter admitted he had never witnessed such an event in 40 years of covering courtroom drama.

In October, 2018, off-duty policewoman, Amber Guyger, 31, shot and killed an innocent man, Botham Jean, in what she thought was her own apartment. In October, 2019, Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the murder.

After Guyger was sentenced, Brandt Jean, the brother of the murdered man, embraced Guyger in the Dallas courtroom and said he forgives her.

Brandt Jean asked permission from the judge to give Guyger a hug. He went over to her and the two embraced. Jean told her he doesn’t want her to go to prison. “I love you as a person and I don’t want to wish anything bad on you,” Jean said before they hugged for nearly 30 seconds.

The power of forgiveness from the brother of the murdered man was so strong many in the courtroom were moved to tears. Including the judge, Tammy Kemp. Kemp rose from behind the bench, came down and talked with Guyger.

MSN reposted the ongoing scene of forgiveness in action:

After stepping off the bench to comfort the Jean family, the judge walked over to Guyger, still at the defense table. She bent low and spoke in the young woman’s ear. “You understand?” the judge said, barely audible.

The judge appeared to be overcome in the moment, and left the courtroom. She returned a moment later, a small Bible in her hand.
“You can have mine,” the judge said to Guyger. “I have three or four at home.”
She then began to counsel Guyger. The pair were talking low, barely audible, just the two of them. “This is your job,” the judge said, opening the book.

The judge mentioned John 3:16, saying this will strengthen her. Guyger nodded her head.
“You just need a tiny mustard seed of faith,” the judge said. “You start with this.”

Guyger embraced the judge, who hugged her back. Guyger whispered something.
“Ma’am,” the judge said warmly. “It’s not because I’m good. It’s because I believe in Christ.”
“You haven’t done so much that you can’t be forgiven,” the judge told her. “You did something bad in one moment in time. What you do now matters.”

The judge told Guyger that she could take the Bible with her as deputies prepared to escort her to the prisoner holding cell connected to the courtroom.

As Guyger left to begin her 10-year prison sentence, the judge let out a deep sigh, turned and left the courtroom.

I showed the video to the Church of the Living Water in Muscatine after this powerful demonstration of forgiveness. Such an impact. The whole church was cast into an awesome silence.

You can watch more of the power of forgiveness in action here.