Finding Forgiveness: Part I

So where to start with this forgiveness thing. Well, besides the parable I cited in the previous post, maybe the story of the adulterous woman in John 8 is as good as any.

"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

We tend to look at this story as a cautionary tale against judgment. But if that is all we were to learn, then once the others had all left, Jesus could have bashed this woman upside the head with a rock. For unlike those who walked away, Jesus was perfect and without sin.

But he extended her forgiveness ... the same forgiveness he extends to each one of us. For although we deserve death, he offers life.

We in turn -- created in his image and re-created in Christ -- should mirror that offer ourselves, offering forgiveness even when unwarranted.

Want an example? Stay tuned ...

An Introduction to Forgiveness

Remember last week when I said there was ideas rattling around my head?

Well, here's the start of those ideas, and it's on the subject of forgiveness. Some of my previous posts the last couple months have discussed the idea of mercy and grace, particularly as God gives his forgiveness to us.

But us giving forgiveness to others, now there's the rub. Because with all due respect to Tom Petty, forgiveness -- not waiting -- is the hardest part.

I guess this all started with a sermon on the Unmerciful Servant a couple months ago. Read it for yourself in Matthew 18.

Here's the short of it. This is the parable Jesus told after Peter asked how many times he should forgive those who sin against me. Peter suggested a generous seven times, but Jesus said, 'How 'bout 77' or 'How 'bout 70 times 7?' -- depending on what translation you read. Then Jesus told the story of a servant who begged his way out of a monstrous debt, then threw the man who owed him just a little in prison when he asked for the same mercy.

Just in the last few months, I've heard stories about a preacher in India who was beaten but kept responding with love until her converted his torturer, a lady whose husband was murdered visiting the murderer in prison and gave him her husband's Bible -- counseling him until he was converted or the Jewish girl who was experimented on in Auschwitz and finally met one of her captors then wrote him a letter granting forgiveness.

Spectacular displays of love all ... yet I can't get over my annoyance with the guy a few cubicles down, I refuse to speak to that person who was once my friend and I reserve my best biting sarcasm for that neighbor that rubs me the wrong way.

Heck, I hold grudges against restaurants where I got poor service, against the bag boy that doesn't know that a loaf of bread and canned goods don't mix ... and I certainly won't forget that time the cat or dog chewed up something that wasn't a toy.

We are astonishingly good at withholding forgiveness. Granting it? Not so much.

So in the coming days and weeks, I hope to explore some stories, movies, TV shows, life examples, etc. of forgiveness and how meaningful it can be. Stay tuned, there may be some hope for us yet.

Hello again ... Happy 4th!

Whooops! I just realized tonight that I managed to go a whole month without updating this blog. And that's really a shame, because I have some interesting thoughts rattling around this head that I shall share with you sooner or later. Looks like later at this point.

Anyway, just a short thought as the Fourth of July fades into the Fifth. The choir at church this morning sang The Battle Hymn of the Republic, which has long been one of my favorite songs. I recall memorizing the lyrics out of the hymnal during a few select Sunday evening services, but now I'm just telling on myself.

But that song tends to make the chest swell and brings out both patriotic and Christian pride, though I'm not sure that's exactly a good thing.

Our pastor today did a nice job with his phrasing in one part of his message. He was talking about how God was neither liberal nor conservative, Republican or Democrat, American or any other nationality or race. And he added this, forgive my paraphrasing:

"We often ask whether God is on our side, when we should be asking, are we on God's side?"

Hmmm, now that's worth singing "Glory, glory, hallelujah. God's truth is marching on."