We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.

A 70-year-old man who lost eight teeth, suffered a cut on his upper lip that required 40 stitches and had his hearing aid crushed into the inner canal of his ear during a road rage attack last year astonished Baton Rouge state court officials on Tuesday with an act of forgiveness.

Steve Bonfanti told the court he would set aside the $41,000 in restitution that District Judge Richard Anderson ordered from the mother of his two attackers for the education of her two young grandchildren.

Anderson, who said he had never witnessed such an extraordinary move in his court, sent Baton Rouge brothers Johnny Mutrie, 26, and Eric Mutrie, 19, to prison and put their mother, Rhonda Mutrie, 54, on probation for their roles in the violent beating of Bonfanti.

At about 5 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2008, Bonfanti was driving home.  Johnny Mutrie, who was driving behind Bonfanti, started blowing his horn, making obscene hand gestures and passed Bonfanti, according to the warrant. Johnny Mutrie then stopped and Eric Mutrie started a confrontation with Bonfanti leading to the brutal beating.

Bonfanti, who did not ask for restitution, pledged the funds for the education of Johnny Mutrie’s two young daughters.

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. - Matthew 18:21-22