FORGIVENESS: STOP KEEPING SCORE........

Forgiveness is not about keeping score....it's about loosing count. That's the only way we can look at this. (Matthew 18) What was Jesus really saying...You cannot start keeping score, if you are going to be a forgiving person. Notice how Peter was trying to define forgiveness as a mathematical equation. I imagine that Peter might be like many of us. Perhaps he had someone in mind who he had already forgiven 6 times and he wanted a number...number 7...so he would be close to the benchmark and his required number of offering forgiveness would be met. Then, he could just write that person off and be done with them. Speaking of mathematics....we often hear or even say ourselves that we aren't good at math; however, let someone hurt or offend us and then our math suddenly becomes pretty efficient. We keep a running total of each time we are offended, hurt, or mistreated in any way. We can also easily rattle off the time, place, and date that a particular person did something against us.

People who will hurt you the most are usually the ones who you love the most. Are there boundaries to forgiveness? That is a question that many ask...especially when one is being hurt over and over. No matter how deeply we have been hurt, we must continue to forgive as Jesus makes it very clear that not forgiving isn't an option. However, there are times when we must, after offering forgiveness, love that person or persons from a distance. We are not expected to continue to allow someone who seems to make it their calling to beat us down mentally, physically, emotionally, etc to do so. Forgive, and with loving peace walk away. But, it is always better to remain in relationship if at all possible. We need to love like we have never been hurt, forgive, and give the situation to God. It's not about keeping score, it's about losing count. Amen and Amen! †

The apostle Peter, speaking to Jesus, asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus responded to Peter saying, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven." - Matthew 18:21-22

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