How are you doing in the forgiving others category?
I confess, I have struggled with this over the years. Not so much when it comes to me or crimes against my person...but definitely when it comes to offenses against those whom I love.
I really put on my big, bad, momma bear self and want to evicerate the offender (check out evicerate in the dictionary...pretty gruesome!). For a visual, picture the latest Incredible Hulk movie (which, by the way, was the best revamp of that old story to date). For some of us, there is this satisfying moment when we see wrongs righted, justice executed and criminals punished. There's almost this animalistic glee inside of us when we see the Hulk transform into this huge, mean, green tool of vengance.
We want payback.
We want vindication.
We want the offender to suffer the same pain we have endured at their hand.
And, as satisfying as that all sounds, it is wrong.
In fact, it is sin.
Jesus instructs us: we are to forgive as we've been forgiven.
How much have we been forgiven?
Every sin.
Every offensive thought, word, deed and act.
All of it.
Even the ones you harbor deep inside, secreted away from humankind.
How much are we to forgive others?
All of it.
All.
No exceptions.
No excuses.
All.
And, if you're waiting for that person to ask for your forgiveness...before you forgive them...I believe this passage pretty much says we need to forgive whether or not that person asks for forgiveness from us.
Really?
Yes.
Wow.
Forgive as it has been forgiven you.
| Pray How?: Forgive as Forgiven Posted: 12 Jun 2010 01:00 AM PDT "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. . . . For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:12, 14-15) This line from Jesus' model prayer is such a head-spinning contradiction to what many of us know as the gospel. We're saved by faith, right? Not of ourselves? How can Jesus say the Father will not forgive us if we don't forgive others?
Theologians suggest it might have to do with the fact that Jesus said this before He had died for all of our sins (including unforgiveness) on the cross. Others say the statement has to do with a break in our fellowship with God here on earth is we refuse to forgive those who hurt us -- not an eternal separation. It's an important question.
A more important one: If we understand that because of Jesus, God has forgiven our unpayable debt of sin to the Father -- and amount so staggering we can't even imagine the horror of it -- how could any one of us have the arrogance not to forgive another human being for anything, at all? Forgiven people should be forgiving people. Period.
Think: Jesus told a parable about a much-forgiven, unforgiving servant. Which character are you in that story? What can you do about it?
Pray: Ask God to so overwhelm you with an understanding of His forgiving grace that any grudge you've got against someone else just feels ridiculous to you.
Do: Use Wikipedia or something to look up the current American national deficit. Then call your local library to ask what they charge for an overdue book for a week. Compare and think about the difference between what you owed God and what anyone on earth could possibly owe you.  |
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Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.orghttp://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/
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