Forgive...Forgiven
by Tim Lamb
The first installment:
Let It Go!
There is an episode in the 70’s family drama “The
Waltons” where the
Walton’s have a house fire. Though the cause of
the fire remains in
question John-boy blames himself. At the same
time “Grandpa” Walton
suspects it was his own carelessness that caused
the fire.
When John-boy can no longer keep his secret or
carry the burden he
confides in grandpa that his guilt is unbearable.
Grandpa wisely
responds “If I started the fire you would forgive
me, and if you
started it I would forgive you, that’s what family
does. Question is,
can you forgive yourself?”
The Apostle Paul, addressing the people of the
church at Corinth (1
Corinthians 6:7) Is pointing out the harm and pain
of unforgiveness in
the act of taking each other to court. In verse 7
Paul says “Why not
rather be wronged?”NASB, and “Why not let
yourselves be cheated?”NLT.
There is never truly an agreeable compensation for
a wrong committed.
Someone always pays and the other loses. And for
what? Usually it’s
all a matter of pride and revenge – getting even.
Forgiveness could settle most every problem in the
world today.
Racial, religious, political; people are being
held hostage to hate
for lack of forgiveness.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a realist, there will be
no Kumbayah moment
when the world forgives each other falling into
some massive group
hug. But you can change your corner of the world
and restore peace in
your heart with three simple words “I forgive
you!” The others may
not need or even want your forgiveness but “Why
not just be wronged?”
and make the world around you a better place.
In Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 6, Jesus tells the
disciples they will be
forgiven in the same way they forgive. Jesus also
tells a parable
about unforgiveness in Matthew chapter 18,
proclaiming at the end that
judgment awaits those who do not forgive. God is
serious about
forgiveness. He alone holds the right to
vengeance (Romans 12:19) and
yet He made the ultimate sacrifice for
forgiveness.
God forgives like He loves…magnanimously! He is
so far above us in
every other way His forgiveness is simply an
expression of the
greatness of His being. Jesus humbled Himself on
a cross to forgive
our neighbor but we are too proud to let go of the
hurt. Why are we
unable to be wronged without the compensation of
some sort of justice?
“Blessed are the humble…the merciful…the pure at
heart…the
peacemakers” For they will obtain mercy and be
called the Children
of God!
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