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Matthew 18:23-27
`The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.’
Num 14:18a NIV
Forgiveness.
One of the easiest things said, but among the hardest things done. In the first place, why should we forgive? We’ve been wronged. We’ve been hurt. We’ve been unjustly treated and now it’s payback time. It’s time that they pay for what they’ve done to us. We want justice and we want it now. Eye for an eye right?
That got me thinking. What would our world be if there was no forgiveness? Stop a moment and think about it. Imagine a world where people just keep on bottling up every little thing they think or perceive done against them, and eventually get even with the person. How long would our specie exist before it spirals down in to oblivion because everybody has something against somebody and they want payback. Surely, a viscous cycle will emerge, capturing everybody in the web of its anger and hatred.
Even when I was a child, I learned a simple rule in life that has been in my heart ever since. It has affected my view on life, my relationship and even with my self: You cannot give what you do not have. I cannot share a burger with a person if I don’t have a burger myself. You cannot give $10 to charity if you don’t have at least $10.
Spiritually and relationally that applies too. We cannot give true love because we ourselves have yet to have true love. We cannot completely forgive because we have not been forgiven ourselves. Yes we strive to love honestly and purely. We try to forgive all the wrong that person has done to us (or at least we think they’ve done to us…) and we’ve even gone to the extent of reciting the mantra “I’ve forgiven & I’ve forgotten… I’ve forgiven & I’ve forgotten… I’ve forgiven & I’ve forgotten…” then when we see the person or see something that reminds us of that hurt all the memories and emotions of that moment come rushing back at us.
Luke 7:47 puts it nicely: He who has been forgiven little loves little. Forgiveness is born out of love. They go hand in hand with each other. As our capacity to love others increases, so does our ability to forgive others.
Well Magoo, you’ve said it. I haven’t been loved enough when I was a kid I guess. Until now, I don’t think I’ve ever been loved enough to allow me to forgive what THAT person did to me!
I’d beg to disagree. A guy named John said that because God loved YOU so much that he gave his only Son to die for your shortcomings. He said that God sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Yours & mine included. Personally, I don’t think that anybody could love me and accept me more than that. That could be found in John 3:16. So you see, you are loved beyond measure and you are completely forgiven. No strings attached. No mantras needed. No more effort.
When we are faced with a situation that calls us to forgive, and we feel that the person does not deserve our forgiveness in any way gnaw on this question: Am I worthy to receive God’s forgiveness?
“But that person lied to me!”
Haven’t you ever lied to God?
“He made fun of me and what I’ve done!”
So you’ve never made fun of God or what He has done for you?
“She played with my emotions and hurt me!”
Your sins haven’t hurt God then?
“But some one needs to pay for the hurt I’ve received!”
Yes. Someone has paid for it. Jesus Christ.
The currency used? Blood. His blood.
The price? His life.
The clincher is, Jesus never complained about the price He paid for you. He loves you and forgave you. And if it were needed again, he wouldn’t hesitate to forgive you again. And again. And again.
You’ve been forgiven much. Now shouldn’t we forgive in the same manner as we have been forgiven?
