Forgiveness Isn't Easy.

Matthew 18:21, 22 (23-25 illustrative parable)

Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

 As Christians we are taught through scripture that forgiveness is one of those virtues that we must strive to possess. I know that I have preached many times that holding a grudge hurts me more than it does the other person.

So why hold onto that grudge?

Easier said than done though, perhaps.

I recently heard a radio story of a man with Downs Syndrome who was walking the High Street with his father. A drunken thug approached the man, insulted him and punched him in the face. The police became involved and the thug was given a court order not to approach this man again. But the thug was a person with a conscience. On seeing the man with Downs Syndrome and his father, the repentent thug did indeed approach them and asked for forgiveness. Despite his Catholic background the father was outraged, however his anger melted away when he saw his son offering his hand in forgiveness.

How many of us could honestly say that we could easily forgive somebody who had subjected us to physical or even emotional harm?

The Old Testament mentions "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" and many of us would see that as exacting revenge on a perpetrator. However at a recent Bible study group I was given another perspective on that phrase. If, for example we were smacked in the mouth and had a tooth knocked out, the natural reaction would be to want to retaliate and knock all the teeth out of the other persons mouth. Probably an over-reaction. "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" could be seen as telling us to seek no more justice than the hurtful act warrants.

On the other hand Jesus teaches us to turn the other cheek. This can seem at times as a recipe for becoming a "doormat". Yet it is amazing how often a passive reaction can quell the most tense of situations.

So how can we forgive those who have so deeply hurt us?

It isn't easy. Pride is considered a sin yet we are all cursed to a greater or less extent with this burden. Probably borne out of a sense of insecurity we all place ourselves on a pedastal. And when somebody tries, deliberately or unintentionally, to knock us of our pedastal we feel agrieved. But we need to let go of that hurt, that grudge. We must forgive that other person.

The question of how was a major topic of discussion at the same Bible study group and we all agreed that, as human beings, this wasn't an easy thing to do. However it was general felt that if we made a conscious decision to forgive our assailant that this was a start. We might not readily feel the spirit of forgiveness, but if we prayed to our Lord with sincerity to help us forgive, then what we think with our heads and say with our mouths will eventually fill our hearts. Prayer is our greatest tool and if we use it with a sincere heart then our prayers will be answered.

How fantastic is that?

Terry Norrington