We Must Forgive

It seems people are more easily offended with each passing day.

Assuming that we are on the receiving end, how are we to respond?

That depends on whom you choose to listen to,

The world tells us one thing.

It will tell us we need to stand up for ourselves.

It will tell us that we need to respond in kind and exchange hurt for hurt.

In stark contrast, Jesus tells us to forgive.

He does this in the Sermon on the Mount.

We might be tempted to say to Him, “But Jesus, You just don’t understand!”

“You don’t know what it’s like.”

Really?

Think again,

Jesus was often insulted, though not always to His face.

When the disciples were first called, Philip told Nathanael about his encounter with Jesus.

How did Nathanael respond?

John 1:46 (NET) - Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”

Then there was the time Jesus was teaching in the synagogue,

Some heard His teaching and were amazed.

Others were offended.

Mark 6:3 (NET) - Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” And so they took offense at him.

In the male dominant society of the day, one can read the insult that was intended.

Finally, there was the matter of His crucifixion.

Crucifixion is perhaps the cruelest and most painful form of execution ever devised by man.

Prior to this he was beaten without mercy.

Throughout this ordeal, people hurled insult after insult at Jesus.

As an additional insult, Jesus was executed with common criminals.

Did Jesus retaliate?

No. Jesus forgave even as an angry mob continued to insult Him.

Luke 23:34 (NET) - But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

Jesus tells us to forgive and that in and of itself is sufficient reason for us to do so.

Beyond that we must ask ourselves one final question.

If Jesus forgave so very much, shouldn’t we be willing to forgive so very little in comparison?

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, September 1, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, September 8, 2017