Forgive, Forgive, Forgive

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2axr2f

“I’ll never forgive that person as long as I live.” Those words still are fresh in my memory after many years. The person who said them was otherwise a good Christian woman, and the offense that she was unwilling to forgive wasn’t even something done to her. It was done to a friend of hers.

It is not within the Christian character to have a spirit of refusing to offer forgiveness. In fact, Jesus spoke directly to this issue in Matthew 6:14-15, when He said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Our forgiveness from God is tied to our ability and willingness to forgive others. That should be a very sobering thought to all of us.

Naturally, it is very difficult to offer forgiveness to those who hurt us. Even when they say they are sorry, it still remains a difficult task.

Peter asked Jesus once about how often he should forgive someone that sinned against him. In the Old Testament days, to forgive someone up to three times for the same offense was considered to be enough. After that you could hold it against them.

But Peter offered twice that amount and one more for good measure. He offered to forgive up to seven times.

The reply Jesus gave wasn’t intended to be literally interpreted, but the message should be very clear. He said, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:22.

Now that doesn’t mean that we are supposed to carry a notebook around with us and put a tally mark down each time we forgive someone. Jesus is merely saying that there should be no limits to the amount of forgiveness that we extend to others.

Unfortunately some people have difficulty in doing what is right. Bad habits are hard to overcome and positive reinforcements are much needed.

Take for example a new employee who is having difficulty mastering the use of a new machine. In each attempt to work the machine he makes a mistake and ruins a product that he is working on. He sees his mistake and is sorry for having made it. He promises to do better the next time, but again he falls into a bad habit and ruins another piece a few minutes later.

A good supervisor will help evaluate the situation, give correction for what is being done wrong and then will encourage the employee to do better. Having a desire to succeed, the employee will then be able to focus on mastering his new job without the fear of his past mistakes haunting him.

Jesus illustrates this interaction in Luke 17:3-4 when He says, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him.”

Notice that this process not only entails forgiveness, but also a rebuke or correction. So many times the person being held “guilty” for something may have no idea that he has ever done anything wrong. But when confronted with information that they have offended or hurt someone, most people will immediately seek to make a correction and ask for forgiveness.

It is really a simple process. When someone offends or harms you, let them know what they have done. Correct them. And when they say they are sorry, or in other words, repent, then forgive them.

Someone said, “Forgiveness has been called the virtue we profess to believe, fail to practice, and neglect to preach.” I hope that is not the case with us today.

The next time you are tempted to hold a grudge or refuse to forgive someone, please remember that without forgiving others, God will not forgive you.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we always be ready and willing to forgive anyone for anything that they have done. May the reminder of God’s mercy of us be fresh on our minds as we extend our forgiveness to others.

Our thought for the day: “It is far better to forgive and forget than to resent and remember.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.