"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do..."Luke 6:38 They don't know what they are doing? Huh? It wasn't that the soldiers weren't aware of their hammering. That the crowd didn't realize they had shouted Barabbas. That the disciples were clueless they'd abandoned their leader and friend. Or that the religious leaders were aghast that their accusations had resulted in Jesus' crucifixion. Every person involved in the death of Jesus knew what they were doing--at least in part. But they didn't see the whole of their actions. Roman soldiers didn't know Jesus was more than just another insurrectionist. The crowd didn't see how their rejection of the Savior would affect the Jewish nation for generations. The disciples didn't expect the horror of Calvary or the disappointment in themselves. Religious leaders didn't see that the One they scorned was also the One they claimed to serve. Everyone missed part of of the story. Could the same be said of those we find so difficult to forgive?
While most are partially aware of the pain they are causing, they may have missed something. Something important. Something monumental. Something that heaps guilt upon the guilty in measures that vindicators enjoy but saviors cover with compassion. Most things that need forgiving begin with a mistake. A misguided opinion. A wrong judgement. A previous injury. Sin heaps upon sin, pain upon pain, and hurts are inflicted. These hurts involve consequences too far-reaching to negotiate at the time the pain is inflicted. A starting place for forgiveness, therefore, may be these bookends between which the act needing forgiveness is sandwiched. When we forgive the beginning of a hurt and its bitter end, we find we also forgive the heart of the matter.
Tip/Tidbit: Have you experienced a hurt that feels unforgivable? Take a moment to consider what your offenders might not have known in the moment they inflicted pain. What could have been their story before and after their injury to you? Think about the "know not what they are doing" element to your situation. Begin your forgiveness journey there.
While most are partially aware of the pain they are causing, they may have missed something. Something important. Something monumental. Something that heaps guilt upon the guilty in measures that vindicators enjoy but saviors cover with compassion. Most things that need forgiving begin with a mistake. A misguided opinion. A wrong judgement. A previous injury. Sin heaps upon sin, pain upon pain, and hurts are inflicted. These hurts involve consequences too far-reaching to negotiate at the time the pain is inflicted. A starting place for forgiveness, therefore, may be these bookends between which the act needing forgiveness is sandwiched. When we forgive the beginning of a hurt and its bitter end, we find we also forgive the heart of the matter.
Tip/Tidbit: Have you experienced a hurt that feels unforgivable? Take a moment to consider what your offenders might not have known in the moment they inflicted pain. What could have been their story before and after their injury to you? Think about the "know not what they are doing" element to your situation. Begin your forgiveness journey there.
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