An Open Letter to Those Who Tried to Steal My Identity:

GUEST BLOGGER: Ed Hickman

Recently my identity was stolen and used. I have never experienced anything like this before. I would be lying if I didn’t say that I wasn’t mad....really mad. Then there was fear. How much did they get? I was also feeling violated. How far did they go?  So I decided to write them an open letter. Here it is:

To The Person(s) Who Stole My Identity,

First and foremost I would like you to know I forgive you!

This has been nothing short of a nightmare that I wish had never happened, however it did. As the smoked cleared and the dust had settled I had time to ponder what transpired. Let's start with time. It's the one thing you got from me that I will never get back. But I still forgive you. I'm starting to ask myself how could someone bring themselves to be this evil and ruthless. The answer that I got wasn’t one most would expect. You see I started to feel sorry for you. In fact, I am currently praying for you. Understand this, this praying for you wouldn't have happened years ago.  I didn’t always love the Lord like I do now. But thankfully, someone loved me enough to be praying for me. You see, you messed with the wrong guy here because I have an army of others that will be praying for you! Things are about to change for you. Jesus commands us to love our enemy and pray for the lost.

Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”

You and I aren’t that different, we are both sinners and Jesus can forgive you too. I want to believe that your intent wasn’t to harm or hurt me. I believe it was more just to get things that aren’t yours. If I don’t forgive you and continue to carry the anger towards you it will become like an anchor and I would be enslaved to it. That's certainly not appealing to me. I also don’t want to be a hypocrite. 

Matthew 6: 14   For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Trust me I have a lot to be forgiven for. So know this, I will probably never know what drives you, but know that you are loved and forgiven. I will probably never meet you but that’s ok too. I am praying for you to make better choices. God loves you as He loves me. One of my favorite verses is (and I am sure you see it a lot) John 3:16   For God so loved the world (that includes you) that he sent his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

So I’ll leave you with this. Don’t let yesterday keep you from doing today what can’t wait till tomorrow. 

Make better choices. Choose God and watch what happens. 

Sincerely,

One Who Understands God's Love For People

Ed Hickman