Forgiveness is a key part to what I believe is essential to being a better man. My Father tells me to love my enemies. Matthew 5:43-48 states:
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[r] and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies![s] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends,[t] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect
But how hard is it to love those who hate you? How hard is it to be kind to those who would rejoice in your failures? We all have been hurt. We all have also hurt others? Can we ask for forgiveness yet fail to forgive? We can ask , but it will be much better if we forgive others then ask God who can forgive all for forgiveness.
Mark 11:25 States
25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."[
And
1 John 1:8-9 states
"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is
not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." NASB
Is it not our goal to be Christ like? One of my most memorable moments in the Bible is when Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Even though some may know what they are doing to us, can we not forgive them? Receiving pain yet giving joy is often hard to do, but whoever said living in this world would be easy? Be careful who you say you can’t forgive and those in which you judge. God can and often does use various people. Many would say Samson wasn’t that great of a man, but God had a purpose for him. Paul persecuted many, yet he became one of the greatest servants of God. Forgives may not repair a relationship or even change people. However, much can be learned through forgiveness. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 states that 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Many of us long for love and a life that we can share with others. Never-the-less, friends, co-workers, enemies, and family will all do things to hurt us. How can we expect to receive forgiveness and love, when we can’t forgive and love? Jesus show us love through his sacrifice and forgiveness. I was on a plane a couple of weeks ago and there was a family (Father, Mother and two little children) sitting beside me. The mother was holding one of the children and he accidentally hit her. He was a little baby and the hit was not intentional. The mother had a brief moment but quickly forgave the child because of her love for him and knowing it was mistake. In this situation it was a little easy for the mother to forgive. However, what about the times when we have to forgive a co-worker who has lied to us or someone who we thought was a friend who has lied about us? It is not that easy to forgive them is it or the many others who may have caused us some pain? It should since we are taught to love all as we love ourselves. I’ll leave you with some of Matthew 18
Matthew 18
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[f]
23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents[g] was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.[h] He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
