What does the Bible say about forgiveness.....and how can we appply those principles to our life? When do you get annoyed with someone? When do you walk away angry? How often do we hear sermons about the issue of forgiveness? We are to forgive because God has forgiven us.
One of my previous pastors used to preach on a particular topic at least once a year, "We are most like Jesus when we forgive. " That always stuck with me. I asked myself this week...forgive whom...for what? I would bet we all go right to the 'biggies' of divorce, childhood abuse, bullying, family disharmony, etc... when we think of areas where we need to show forgivness....but is that all there is?
What about forgiveness day-to-day? I thought back to several times this week when I became irritated with someone....forgiveness is part of these 'little' irritations of life.
Forgiveness is due to the saleslady when she is slow in ringing up my items on a busy day. I don't want to leave the line in an angry demeanor....I want to forgive her, without even telling her...forgive her and just understand the situation. Forgiveness is due my physician who let me sit in the waiting room for forty minutes past my appointment time. My demeanor should be one of calmness and acceptance. That is forgiveness. Forgivness due the salesman at the computer store when the brand new computer I purchased does not work. My attitude in dealing with him should be calm and kind. I think, in my life, that forgivness is all around me. I need to be forgiving about the little things, and not just think of the 'biggies' in my life.
I think in these previous situations mentioned that it is not that we are push-overs, not that we let people take advantage of us...I think it is a sense of understanding the human condition and forgiving the mishap. Forgiveness does not mean that we put ourselves back in the same situation...we look for another store to do business with, we are just patient with the physician.
We always ask..."What would Jesus do?" What would Jesus do in the Walmart line if the cashier was slow? What would Jesus do with the computer salesman when the new computer is not working? Remember from Scripture that in many cases Jesus traveled and avoided towns that were hostile to Him. He loved them. He must have forgave them, for He forgave everyone, but He did avoid the situation. We have no record of Him in any of the large Roman-controlled cities like Tiberias or Beth Shan.
In my own life, when I think of the issue of forgivness it is easy to think about the obvious, nasty situations when we have been hurt...we are taught to forgive...our lives should reflect some amount of forgivness. It is easy to forget those little irritations in life an not see them as situation where forgivness is called for. How much better I would be as an ambasador of Jesus in the world, if I would, daily, just 'get over it' and forgive the irritations of life, or avoid those situation that might cause upset.
Thats what Jesus would do. Forgive. Perhaps avoid. Be kind and gentle. If it is good enought for Jesus, it is good enought for me.
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