There was a story that I have heard several times ever since I was little. This story is about a little boy--we'll call him Joseph--and his struggle with forgiveness. Because I don't remember the exact details of the story, I will make up some parts.
Joseph, an eight-year-old boy living in a cute little neighborhood, was playing outside with his baseball bat near his neighbor's house. (Can you already guess what's going to happen? Well, stay with me). He picked up his baseball, tossed it in the air, and hit it with his bat. Hard. He didn't mean for it to happen, but the ball flew in the direction of Mrs. Smith's house, towards her bedroom window, and smashed right through. Joseph's mouth dropped open and he panicked and he watched the glass shatter.
It wasn't long before Mrs. Smith rushed out of her house in the direction of where Joseph fearfully stood. After explaining to Mrs. Smith what happened, Joseph shifted nervously. Mrs. Smith then said, "Joseph, you know that you are going to have to pay to replace the window, right?" Joseph nodded. But when Mrs. Smith told him the price of the window, he gulped. "Mrs. Smith, that's more money than I will ever make in a year of allowance!" Mrs. Smith had compassion on the little boy. Graciously, she said, "Joseph, I am choosing to forgive you of this debt. You will not have to pay it--I will pay for the window myself." Gratefully, Joseph smiled up at Mrs. Smith, thanked her, and ran back to his house with his baseball bat.
An hour after supper, Joseph rummaged in his bank to find a few dollars to take to the candy store. When he counted his change, he realized that his younger sister Emily had owed him a quarter. Filled with anger, he rushed up to Emily. He demanded that she give him his quarter right away. "But, Joe, I don't have it yet. Just let me finish my chores this week and I can pay you back," she said timidly. This was NOT okay with Joseph. He told her that he was going to take her favorite toy and sell it if she couldn't pay him back right away. With tears in her eyes, Emily ran outside and sat on the swing next to Mrs. Smith's house. When Mrs. Smith came out and heard about what had happened, she was very angry. She called Joseph over to her house.
"Joseph, I have changed my mind," she told him. "Because you could not forgive Emily of her little debt to you, I will not forgive you of your large debt to me. You need to pay me for breaking the window afterall."
Does this story sound familiar? Well, maybe you haven't heard this kid's story before, but you may have heard the "Bible version" of this story. (Matthew 18). Ya know, the servant who owed his master a large sum of money. His master forgave him. The man then wouldn't forgive his fellow servant, who only had a small debt. His master then forced the servant to pay him back, because he couldn't forgive his fellow servant. So now you've heard both stories. But what does this have to do with us in our daily lives?
Forgiveness. That's what this is about. I'm not talking about "Becky took my pencil and broke it! I have to forgive??" No, I'm talking about when people do something serious that hurts you. Something that when you think about it, it hurts all over again. Something that if you aren't careful--it could turn into bitterness and anger. Something that has a big affect. It's a hard thing to forgive when what happened is a big deal!
True forgiveness means letting go of past wrongs and hurts, and not holding it against the offender. After all, love keeps no record of wrongs. True forgiveness is wiping a slate clean and moving on. Forgiveness doesn't label someone as an "evil person" because they have wronged you. That's bitterness. But forgiveness can also be a process. You might have to forgive over and over again. It's a hard thing! In my life, I would much rather change my hurt into bitterness and anger rather than forgiving, because forgiving can be so painful! Yet I have no right to make that decision. Why?
*First of all, as Christians, we are commanded to forgive. Ephesians 4:32 says, "...forgiving one another; even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." It's not when we feel like it or when it doesn't hurt.
*Because we have been redeemed, we have no right to hold anything against anybody else. We are sinners. We hurt God with our sin on a consistent basis so much more than anybody else could ever hurt us! And yet, God forgives us of that and loves us in spite of how much we grieve Him with our sin. Christ showed ultimate forgiveness by dying a painful death on the cross for us! What right do we have to say "I can't forgive them"?
*If we don't forgive others, God will not forgive us. "But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sin." (Matthew 6:15) Obviously God sees unforgiveness as a serious thing!
*Unforgiveness is damaging. It can destroy relationships. It's rooted in pride. Unforgiveness can lead to long-term bitterness, which isn't a good thing.
The bottom line here is that we have a call to be forgiving. Nothing that man can ever do to us can ever compare with how much we hurt God. But God, in His love and mercy, and chosen to forgive wicked sinners--to forgive me-- and completely wipe slates clean. In that, we have a call to forgiveness, because Christ has forgiven us.
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