In memory of Bobby Glen Wilcher, Katie Bell Moore, and Velma Odell Noblin

After 24 years of sitting on Mississippi’s death row, Bobby Glen Wilcher was finally executed on Wednesday evening by lethal injection. In 1982, he brutally murdered two women (Katie Bell Moore and Velma Odell Noblin) he met in Forest, MS (an act which he admitted to). But what good is this really? The families of the two victims may have been happy when he was finally put to death. But what about the victims themselves? Are they happy now?

Probably the most used Biblical quote in fighting capital punishment is the fifth commandment. But I offer instead the words of Christ himself. In the fifth chapter of Mathew, we find the Sermon on the Mount. In these 8 verses, Christ offers multiple occasions in which life on earth is blessed.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” We have two opportunities to mourn here. First, we can mourn for the victims. Second, we can mourn for Wilcher himself, who became a victim on Wednesday. Mourn, but do not become angered.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” We repeat this every time we pray the Our Father, saying, “forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” If we don’t forgive, why should we be forgiven?

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” What more could you want? Is killing someone peaceful? Would a son of God, who is love, take the life of another?

God is constantly calling us to forgiveness of our sins. After all, “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16b). How can we show someone the love of God if we do not give him a chance to repent and ask forgiveness?

Now you must ask the reason for having a penal system. Is it to keep the bad guys out of society? Or is it to ‘rehabilitate’ them so that they will no longer be a threat to society? If the latter holds to be true, then what good is the death penalty to the cause?

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Blessed are those who embrace their own spiritual poverty, their own need of God and others. No one person is worth more than another. All people are created by God, as he is the only one with that ability. Thus, all people are created in his image and likeness. Every time you refuse to love someone with the love of God (agape), you refuse to love God himself.