Example of Forgiveness

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15)

Recently it came to my attention that someone I used to consider a friend, but now, unfortunately I must count as an enemy, has been spreading malicious & slanderous lies about me. What started out as a misunderstanding has now developed into full blown animosity and bitterness.

[Two words of wisdom I learned from the early part of this bad situation: 1. Be very very careful about giving advice. In fact try your best not to give advice, but instead encourage people to talk about their own feelings/solutions. Then in that way they can give credit to God or themselves and you can relinquish your role. 2. Be very very careful who you trust. If the angels can’t tell the wheat from the tare than how can a human being? I’ve learned the hard way that simply because someone claims to be a Christian doesn’t necessarily mean they are or even if they are, that they can be trusted.]

Anyway, during a recent long drive I was listening to Johnny Cash reads the NT. I was back in Acts and Johnny was reading chapter 7 and it struck me that I hadn’t forgiven this person. Though I don’t feel as though I’ve yet to fully forgiven this person, I did learn how serious forgiveness is. Here Steven is being stoned to death and I had to pause to reflect on the very last act he performed just before he died. “Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

So what does this require of me? Here was a sinner, like myself, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and his last act wasn’t to curse these men, but to plead for their forgiveness. This is amazing to me. I would be praying that God would rain fire down on these men, but this sinful man, made holy by Jesus Christ, instead does the opposite of any “reasonable” man. He forgives the very men who were murdering him. If that’s not an example of a life utterly transformed by Jesus Christ I don’t know what is.

Father God, in the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, I pray that you would show me, and every believer, how to love people the way you do. Show us, as you did with Stephen, through your Holy Spirit, how to love people so much we could forgive them, even as they murdered us. Instead of the left hand of vengeance, show us how to present the right hand of love and fellowship. Not for our glory, but yours. Amen.