Monday; August 19

One of the questions routinely asked in modern religion is, “If someone wrongs me, but doesn’t seek my forgiveness, do I have to forgive them?”.  Most of us know of the need to forgive someone if asked to do so, but many struggle with pro-active forgiveness.  The other day I came across a teaching of Jesus that seemed to shed a little light on the topic.  While dealing with forgiveness Jesus taught, “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent’, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3).  Honestly, folks, I could have gone all day without reading this because Jesus adjusts the spotlight of forgiveness to “me”.  When someone harms me, I can’t just sit back and wait for them to do something about it, I have an obligation to do something – actually two things.  First, I have an obligation to go to them and tell them that they offended me and second, I have a responsibility to forgive them.  If that isn’t enough, I am required to continue to forgive them up to seven times a day.  I don’t think the emphasis is on the number “seven” – the point seems to indicate that as often as they ask for forgiveness, I am supposed to forgive them.
After thinking about this teaching, I have come to the conclusion that is easier to just go ahead and forgive people as soon as they wrong us.  Not only does it free us from keeping score, it also helps us to not have to think too hard.  By being overtly forgiving we don’t have to worry if we should because we already have.
        Think About It!

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