Forgiveness By: KB 11.23.14

REAL TALK from KB: Forgiveness

Do you owe anyone an apology? What did/do you do the right the wrong? Do you need to forgive or be forgiven?  Do you even bother to examine these questions in your life?

Man oh man! I cannot tell you how many memes, photos and quotes that I have seen on forgiveness. Many of the quotes talk about forgiving yourself. I just saw a quote that threw my mind into thought about what it really means to forgive yourself; I have to say that our egos and our pride have made the process way too easy. I say this because we overlook the steps it takes to insure "forgiveness". We tend to blame the other party or to not even acknowledge that something was said or done to create the need for forgiveness.

Matthew 5: 22-24 …22"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.23"Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering

James 5: 15 -16  15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary  states : Matthew 5:21-26 The Jewish teachers had taught, that nothing except actual murder was forbidden by the sixth commandment. Thus they explained away its spiritual meaning. Christ showed the full meaning of this commandment; according to which we must be judged hereafter, and therefore ought to be ruled now. All rash anger is heart murder. By our brother, here, we are to understand any person, though ever so much below us, for we are all made of one blood. Raca, is a scornful word, and comes from pride: Thou fool, is a spiteful word, and comes from hatred. Malicious slanders and censures are poison that kills secretly and slowly. Christ told them that how light soever they made of these sins, they would certainly be called into judgment for them. We ought carefully to preserve Christian love and peace with all our brethren; and if at any time there is a quarrel, we should confess our fault, humble ourselves to our brother, making or offering satisfaction for wrong done in word or deed: and we should do this quickly; because, till this is done, we are unfit for communion with God in holy ordinances. And when we are preparing for any religious exercises, it is good for us to make that an occasion of serious reflection and self-examination. What is here said is very applicable to our being reconciled to God through Christ. While we are alive, we are in the way to his judgment-seat; after death, it will be too late. When we consider the importance of the case, and the uncertainty of life, how needful it is to seek peace with God, without delay!

Bottom line...we all sin, we all fall short, we all get angry, we all say things.... it's about what we do and say once we realize that we have fallen out of step. Do we blame others? Do we just offer up a cursory prayer and continue on our merry way not even acknowledging that we have caused harm?  I can tell you that I don't ever want to live a life divorced from my conscience; apologies are mandatory in my life and my walk. I don't EVER want someone to live with hurt, harm or emotional baggage caused by me; I have and will continue to live my life operating under this premise.