Friday, May 2

Forgiveness

Former first-baseman Bill Buckner was at Fenway Park for the 2008 Boston Red Sox home opener last month. This may seem inconsequential unless you happen to remember that on October 25, 1986, the Boston Red Sox squared off against the New York Mets in game 6 of the World Series. Boston led 3 games to 2, and had a two-run lead with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning. Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson hit a ground ball to Buckner at first base. The ball rolled between his legs and into right field, allowing Ray Knight to score the winning run, which forced a seventh game. The Mets won game seven and the 1986 World Series.

The ovation he received from the fans at Fenway this year seemed to say "we forgive you."

One of the fundamental distinctives of the person of our heavenly Father is forgiveness. Forgiveness removes barriers to reconciliation. God is a forgiving God and as His people we are called to be forgiving people who forgive those that wrong us.

Because of unforgiveness, broken relationships are one of the extreme tragedies of life. The unhappiness is compounded when the break involves family members, church members, or close friends.

The plus is that relationships do not need to remain broken. There can be restoration – a relationship “make-over” if you will. As believers we can be agents of healing in broken relationships.

The solution to bringing healing to stressed relationships is to possess a forgiving spirit. Resentment, self-pity, or a general refusal to forgive others will keep us from restoring and being restored.

What is forgiveness? According to one dictionary, to forgive means:
“to give up resentment against, or the desire to punish”
“to stop being angry with”
“to pardon”
“to excuse, let off, exonerate, absolve”

Sometimes the word is used in a legal sense: such as to forgive a debt or to cancel what is owed.

Those who have been forgiven know through practical understanding that there is nothing shallow or superficial about forgiveness.

When forgiveness is genuine, it comes from the heart. It never includes reservations such as “I will forgive, but I cannot forget.” Or qualifications such as “I will forgive as long as you don’t do it again.”

One of the best exemplars of forgiveness in the Bible is the story of Joseph and his brothers. He had a lot to forgive because he had suffered significantly at the hands of his brothers. Their hateful and harmful actions brought to him many years of trouble and hardship in Egypt.

Had Joseph harbored feeling against his brothers, it would have poisoned his spirit. God could not have used him if he had become bitter.

Don't wait twenty-two years to forgive.