For those of you who don't know, not only do I teach Sunday School to the middle school girls at church, but I also help with 2nd and 3rd graders on Wednesday nights. (FYI: this isn't one of those I'm so awesome things; it's just that people seem to know I'm involved in one or the other, so sometimes it's confusing; I'm just setting the background here.)
Okay, so tonight we were sort of wrapping up Genesis and the story of Joseph, and guess what? You got it! I learned something new from a story I've known practically all my life. Or rather, God gave me a new perspective on it. Namely, the concept of forgiveness and all that goes with it.
How many times have we wronged someone and said, "I'm sorry", expecting that to be the end of it? And how many times are we upset and angry when it seems like that's not good enough? We're mad at the person we sinned against because it feels like they haven't forgiven us. Yet, when the shoe is on the other foot, do we really know the meaning of forgiveness? Are we as quick to let go as we expect others to be?
I'd always looked at Joseph's little tests for his brothers as a sort of selfish game. I mean, if he was going to forgive them, why make them jump through all these hoops first, right? Well, we watched this little video after we taught the lesson, and seeing it played out, even fictionally, helped me to see that Joseph was actually setting up a similar scenario to the one in which he had found himself in order to give his brothers the opportunity to act differently this time. It immediately made me think of the interaction between Peter and Jesus in Matthew 21:15-19. Jesus had Peter affirm his love for Jesus the exact number of times that Peter had denied Him. It was almost like He was giving Peter a second chance to make the right choice, and it showed Peter that Christ forgave him fully. In the same way, Joseph was testing the hearts of his brothers. Suddenly, what he's doing makes more sense, huh?
And let's be honest, if anyone deserved to be able to hold a grudge, it was Joseph. Yet he freely forgave his brothers and gave them more than they could have ever asked for. Sound familiar? I'll let you dwell on the parallels for a few minutes.
The question for us is: Do I forgive this way? Or do I hold back a part of my forgiveness, so I can bring the sin back up later when it suits me? Do I say I forgive, but then feel superior to the one I've forgiven? Do I pretend that everything is okay, but in reality hold on to my pride and nurse the hurt against me? It's so easy for us to say that it's no big deal or that everything's okay, while in reality never forgiving at all. If you're in that spot, God tells you what to do in Matthew 18:15-17. You don't let bitterness fester in your heart, you gently confront the one you feel has wronged you with their sin. And if you are the one wronged, the Bible has a word for you, too, just a few verses later (21-35).
You see, "he who is forgiven little, loves little" (Luke 7:47). We all need forgiveness from others from time to time, because we're all sinners. And recognizing that fact should spur you to forgive even more freely and easily. It's those who don't realize how much forgiveness they've needed who would rather hold a grudge.
And who are we, especially those who call ourselves Christians, to refuse forgiveness? "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-among whom we all one lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespass, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved-and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Jesus Christ. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:1-9) Do you see it? What hypocrites we are if we refuse to fully and freely forgive anyone! We have been given such grace and forgiven of the sins we committed against God, sins that cost His Son His life! How dare we refuse forgiveness?!?
So I ask you, who have you been withholding the fullness of your forgiveness from? Who are you carrying a grudge against that you need to be reconciled to? Go, and show someone a little bit of grace. You'll be living out the gospel!
Lord, thank You for Your grace. Thank You for Your unselfish forgiveness. Thank You that I don't have to earn it, but You, in Your goodness, freely give it to me if I will but repent if my sins and turn to You in faith. Forgive me for the times I have withheld my forgiveness or harbored resentment against someone, making a mockery of the gospel. Help me, Lord, to recognize those areas of my life where I need to ask for forgiveness and those areas of my life where I need to extend forgiveness. Where I have wronged, give me the strength to humble myself and ask for forgiveness. Where I have been wronged, give me the grace to forgive fully and freely, without holding back. Let me be the salt and the light for You, Lord, to stand out for You in a world that has seemingly forgotten You. Amen.
Okay, so tonight we were sort of wrapping up Genesis and the story of Joseph, and guess what? You got it! I learned something new from a story I've known practically all my life. Or rather, God gave me a new perspective on it. Namely, the concept of forgiveness and all that goes with it.
How many times have we wronged someone and said, "I'm sorry", expecting that to be the end of it? And how many times are we upset and angry when it seems like that's not good enough? We're mad at the person we sinned against because it feels like they haven't forgiven us. Yet, when the shoe is on the other foot, do we really know the meaning of forgiveness? Are we as quick to let go as we expect others to be?
I'd always looked at Joseph's little tests for his brothers as a sort of selfish game. I mean, if he was going to forgive them, why make them jump through all these hoops first, right? Well, we watched this little video after we taught the lesson, and seeing it played out, even fictionally, helped me to see that Joseph was actually setting up a similar scenario to the one in which he had found himself in order to give his brothers the opportunity to act differently this time. It immediately made me think of the interaction between Peter and Jesus in Matthew 21:15-19. Jesus had Peter affirm his love for Jesus the exact number of times that Peter had denied Him. It was almost like He was giving Peter a second chance to make the right choice, and it showed Peter that Christ forgave him fully. In the same way, Joseph was testing the hearts of his brothers. Suddenly, what he's doing makes more sense, huh?
And let's be honest, if anyone deserved to be able to hold a grudge, it was Joseph. Yet he freely forgave his brothers and gave them more than they could have ever asked for. Sound familiar? I'll let you dwell on the parallels for a few minutes.
The question for us is: Do I forgive this way? Or do I hold back a part of my forgiveness, so I can bring the sin back up later when it suits me? Do I say I forgive, but then feel superior to the one I've forgiven? Do I pretend that everything is okay, but in reality hold on to my pride and nurse the hurt against me? It's so easy for us to say that it's no big deal or that everything's okay, while in reality never forgiving at all. If you're in that spot, God tells you what to do in Matthew 18:15-17. You don't let bitterness fester in your heart, you gently confront the one you feel has wronged you with their sin. And if you are the one wronged, the Bible has a word for you, too, just a few verses later (21-35).
You see, "he who is forgiven little, loves little" (Luke 7:47). We all need forgiveness from others from time to time, because we're all sinners. And recognizing that fact should spur you to forgive even more freely and easily. It's those who don't realize how much forgiveness they've needed who would rather hold a grudge.
And who are we, especially those who call ourselves Christians, to refuse forgiveness? "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience-among whom we all one lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespass, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved-and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Jesus Christ. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:1-9) Do you see it? What hypocrites we are if we refuse to fully and freely forgive anyone! We have been given such grace and forgiven of the sins we committed against God, sins that cost His Son His life! How dare we refuse forgiveness?!?
So I ask you, who have you been withholding the fullness of your forgiveness from? Who are you carrying a grudge against that you need to be reconciled to? Go, and show someone a little bit of grace. You'll be living out the gospel!
Lord, thank You for Your grace. Thank You for Your unselfish forgiveness. Thank You that I don't have to earn it, but You, in Your goodness, freely give it to me if I will but repent if my sins and turn to You in faith. Forgive me for the times I have withheld my forgiveness or harbored resentment against someone, making a mockery of the gospel. Help me, Lord, to recognize those areas of my life where I need to ask for forgiveness and those areas of my life where I need to extend forgiveness. Where I have wronged, give me the strength to humble myself and ask for forgiveness. Where I have been wronged, give me the grace to forgive fully and freely, without holding back. Let me be the salt and the light for You, Lord, to stand out for You in a world that has seemingly forgotten You. Amen.
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