"For ‘if’ (note the ‘if’)
you forgive others for their transgression, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But "if" (note the ‘if’)
you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your
transgressions" (Matt. 6:14-15).
Hey Gang: Is there a
more powerful word in the English language than the word
"forgive"? I can attest to you
this morning that there is an equally powerful word that causes great pain in
the lives of many people - ‘unforgiveness’.
I would suggest that most of the people in the United States have heard,
and most can repeat, the Lord's Prayer. As I child, in school, we repeated it and the Pledge
of Allegiance to the Flag every morning.
But, I wonder if Jesus did not make a mistake by not saving
the ‘amen’ until after the verses that followed. In verses 23 and 24 He certainly addressed
the importance of getting rid of those feelings inside that destroy
relationships when He said, "If"
(note
the ‘if’) you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there
remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there
before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and
present your offering" (Matt. 6:23-24).
Many years ago the bride-of-my-youth had a problem with a
young lady who was part of our Village team.
Now, if you know my bride, you know that was not a part of her personality
and it bothered her greatly. One day God spoke to her and said, “Every time you
see her or think of her, pray for her.”
This she did and as the weeks passed so the animosity that was in her
heart. They became very good friends as
they are to this day.
But such is not the case in many families where great
barriers have been raised between family members, very often over very mundane
things. Brothers who refuse to speak to
sisters and vice versa. The story of the
Martin's and McCoy's are very well recognized names - not for the great things
that they have done down through the years but rather because they have engaged
in feuding against each other. Stories
have been written about it, songs created and the sagas abound about how it all
started. But when questioned, none of
the feuders really knew what kicked it off.
Unforgiveness has been a way of life within many families
dating back to Cain and Able. We are
reaping the dividends of the unforgiveness within Abraham's family today,
unforgiveness that dates back to Esau and Jacob.
And, are we not reaping the fruits of unforgiveness in our
leaders today? One would think that when
they vent the venom toward those that "are on the other side of the
aisle" they would gag on their words, but instead they would rather gag
than to even acknowledge that their opposition might have a good idea that
could lead us out of the bondages we find ourselves in today. I don't know about you but I am just plain
sick of the world "politics".
I learned very early in my tenure of working with troubled
children that I would have many opportunities to enter into the realm of
unforgiveness for the things they said to me personally. Having the name Kermit, skinny as a rail and
with bucked teeth, often brought jeers and comments that were not becoming to
me. But as I grew older and scar tissue
grew, I learned to respond, "There is nothing that I have not been called,
therefore it is impossible to insult me".
An old gent in the field of working with hurting people taught me a
defense mechanism that I found worked wonderfully: simply, "I don’t blame you" covered
it all.
Soooo, my friends, as my life begins to wind down, I am
saddened by the growing animosity between the peoples of our land, and it is
not restricted to the non- believing people.
Church splits are common, Christian marriages are tearing apart at the
same percentage rate as non- Christians.
Jesus said to the Laodicean people, "You have lost your first love". But there is hope! "He stands at the door and knocks; if any one hears My voice and
opens the door, I will come into him and will dine with him, and he with Me."
(Rev. 3:20). Do you need to leave your
sacrifice on the altar and go and reconcile with your family or neighbor?
Blessings,
Gramps
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