Forgiveness

It is so hard to ask a child to forgive you... I don't know why. I guess maybe it's because we are supposed to be more mature than them? Not make as many mistakes? We are supposed to exercise our authority over them, so we should always be right? lol... Yeah that's not working out so great for me!

I screwed up big time this morning and ended a breakfast battle with Calista with not a small amount of yelling and carrying on. It was ridiculous and I felt pretty much like dog poop on the bottom of a fat person's shoe after the fact. I asked God to forgive me right away, but it was more difficult for me to ask the kids. But when I did... they all kinda shrugged, like it was no big deal, and Calista said "I already did forgive you Mom."

WoW.

If only I could always forgive like that!

The Bible has a lot to say about forgiveness... like how we give up God's blessing of forgiveness if we refuse to forgive others... how forgiveness, rather than bitterness and resentment, incites gratitude and tenderness in those we forgive, how forgiveness (aka grace) is able to crush sin like the law never could...

What a huge task! I have forgiven some big things, some crushing hurts... but you know what? I have been forgiven MUCH MUCH MUCH more than anyone could ever offend me. I mean seriously, who am I? My overall crappiness helped put Jesus, you know the savior of the world, on the cross... If anything is unforgivable, I'd think that would be it.

I want to be known for being quick to forgive. Quick to show grace. Quick to be active in restoring relationships. I want people to know that that is who God is (multiplied by like a million or more). That He is the only reason I can be that way. And that he offers that same grace to everyone, in fact MORE forgiveness for more sin. You can't be too bad. Believe me, it's been attempted.

This is probably one of my favorite stories about forgiveness:

Luke 7 (The Message)

^36-39One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him."

⁴⁰Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."

"Oh? Tell me."

^41-42"Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?"

^43-47Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."

"That's right," said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."

⁴⁸Then he spoke to her: "I forgive your sins."

⁴⁹That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: "Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!"

⁵⁰He ignored them and said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace."

I want to be like that woman.