On forgiveness

On Forgiveness

You may have some sweet memories of times with children. A week ago I went to a birthday party with my six year old great nephew, Jackson. He got two gifts that were duplicates. His father wisely asked him what we should do about this. Keep it or take it back.
More on this later.

God’s destiny for His children is grace and mercy rather than hate and division. Heaven’s wisdom is great and will stand in the final stage of our lives.

We must keep forgiving each other. Unlimited forgiveness is what God has given to all of us and this is what we must extend to others as our gift from Him.

I heard this week of a corrupt policeman who had framed a man for drugs. This man went to prison for four years. Later the policeman was caught and sent to prison and the man convicted for drugs was released.
Later their paths crossed in the small town where they were both from. They both were assisted in a recovery ministry called Mosaic Café. They the man falsely charged with dealing drugs and the policeman were working side by side. The interviewer sat them down to describe what had happened.
“Why did you forgive him, was it for him or for you?”
His reply was quick and sure and wise. “I did it for us.” He gestured to the people in the café and the interviewer and then said,
“All of us. Me and him and all of the people in the world.” He went on to explain to the journalist the whole plan of the gospel of Jesus was centered in forgiveness. Nothing is better.

Back to my great nephew, Jackson, said, “Let's keep it and I will give it to my friend next door.”
From the young child at the birthday party to the hardened adult the answer to a good life is experiencing and giving grace and mercy.

Ephesians 4.
³¹ Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³² And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Larry Wishard