| Back to Home Page | Back to
Book Index |
Forgiveness
Forgetting and Forgiveness
A friend of Clara Barton
founder of the American Red Cross
once reminded her of an especially cruel
thing that had been done to her years before. But Miss Barton seemed not to
recall it. “Don’t you remember it?” her friend asked.
“No
”
Came the reply
“I distinctly remember forgetting it.”
You
can’t be free and happy if you harbor grudges
so put them away. Get rid of
them. Collect postage stamps
or collect coins
if you wish—but don’t collect
grudges.
Forgetting and Forgiveness
A man who was telling his
friend about an argument he’d had with his wife commented
“Oh
how I hate it
every time we have an argument
she gets historical.”
The
friend replied
“You mean hysterical.}
“No
”
he insisted. “I mean historical. Every time we argue she drags up everything
from the past and holds it against me!”
Example
of Human Forgiveness
When the first missionaries came to the province of
Alberta
Canada
they were savagely opposed by a young chief of the Cree
Indians named Maskepetoon.
Eventually he responded to the gospel and accepted Christ. Shortly afterward
a member of the
Blackfoot tribe who hated him killed his father. Maskepetoon rode into the village where
the murderer lived and demanded that he be brought before him. Confronting the guilty man
he said
"You have killed my father
so now YOU must be my father. You shall ride my best horse and wear my
best clothes." In utter
amazement and remorse his enemy exclaimed
"My son
now you have killed
me!" He meant
of course
that
the hate in his own heart had been completely erased by the forgiveness and
kindness of the Indian chief.
Human
Enjoined Forgiveness
Some years ago
Dr. M.R. De Haan
founder of the Radio
Bible Class
said
"You can't judge the spirituality of a Christian on the
basis of his prayers
since praying is often done for its effect on the
listeners. Nor can you gauge a
person's spiritual status by the loudness of his 'amens' and 'hallelujahs.' Even the liberality of one's giving is
not an infallible test. It
too may
be done for personal recognition or to ease one's conscience. I'm convinced that the surest test of
the depth of our relationship with God is found in our willingness to forgive
others." Showing this attitude
through acts of kindness for those who have offended us often erases all
feelings of bitterness in their hearts.
Grudges
Madrid
Spain (AP)
Two
hundred and seventy-seven years seems like a long time to carry a grudge!
Grudges
It is said that a
rattlesnake
if cornered
will sometimes become so upset that it will bite
itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and resentment against
others is—a biting of oneself. We think that we are harming others in holding
these grudges and hates
but the deeper harm is to ourselves.
Faults
Nothing is easier than
faultfinding: no talent
no self-denial
no brains
and no character are
required to set up in the grumbling business.
Faults
Faults are like the
headlights of a car: those of others seem more glaring than your own.
Revenge
Janine Brooks was a dental student when a man ran into
her car and drove away. That was 10
years ago. Her damaged car resulted
in a considerable financial burden on her student income but the motorist
neither apologized nor ever paid for the damage he had done until now. Now it is 10 years later. Janine Brooks
the former student
is now
a dentist and guess who came to her office needing a tooth to be pulled? He did not recognize her; she did
recognize him. She told him it
wouldn't hurt; she lied. --Associated Press
Resentment
Leonard Holt was a paragon
of respectability. He was a middle-aged
hard-working lab technician who had
worked at the same
A
proficient marksman
Leonard Holt stuffed two pistols in his coat pockets and
drove to the mill. He stalked slowly into his shop and began shooting with
calculated frenzy. He filled several co-workers with two or three bullets
apiece
firing more than thirty shots
killing some men he had known for more
than fifteen years. When the posse found him standing defiantly in his doorway
he snarled
“Come and get me
you—I’m not taking any more of your--!”
Bewilderment swept the community.
Puzzled
policemen and friends finally found a train of logic behind his brief reign of
terror. Down deep within the heart of Leonard Holt rumbled the giant of
resentment. His monk-like exterior concealed the seething hated within. The
investigation yielded the following facts. Several victims had been promoted
over him while he remained in the same position. More than one in Holt’s
carpool had quit riding with him due to his reckless driving. The man was
brimming with resentment-rage that could be held no longer. Beneath his picture
in Time
the caption told the story: Responsible
Respectable
and Resentful.”
FORGIVENESS.
Ⅰ. Unmerited forgiveness. “ When they had nothing to pay
He frankly
forgave them both” (Luke 7:42).
Ⅱ. Divine forgiveness. “ To Lord our God belong mercy and
forgivenesses” (Daniel 9:9).
Ⅲ. Purchased forgiveness. “ In Whom we have redemption through His blood
the forgiveness of sins” (Eph.1:7).
Ⅳ. Free forgiveness. “ That they may receive forgiveness of sins……by
faith that is in Me” (Acts 26:18).
Ⅴ. Full forgiveness. “Having forgiven you all trespasses” (Col.2:13).
Ⅵ. Practical forgiveness. “ Forgive us our debts
as we forgive”
(Matthew 6:12).
Ⅶ. Known forgiveness. “ Your sins are forgiven you for His name’s
sake” (1. John 2:12).
── F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》