Forgiveness

 

Matthew 18:21

Forgiveness

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?”

Forgiveness

is always a work in progress

Choosing to forgive is the easy part

A choice that does not erase the memory

or heal the wounds sustained

We continue to live with the reminders 

of harm done and hurt caused

It takes work to keep on choosing to forgive

while also protecting ourselves and others

Choosing to forgive brings power

the power of resolve

the ability to move on

The refusal to be a victim in another’s drama

Forgiveness

is always a work in progress

A work made possible through the power of love.

Fair warning

 

Matthew 10:16

“See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

You did not lure us in Jesus

with eloquent words

and empty promises

You warned us

Time and again - This won’t be easy

You told us how many times - and more

that we’d need to dredge the depths of forgiveness

for ourselves and others

You called us

To be wise as serpents

and gentle as doves

That wisdom has been hard won

For so often it is interpreted as submission

As turning the other cheek

and giving our fleece as well as our hoodie

There comes a time

when wisdom involves

calling a spade a shovel

and saying Enough. No more.

And that gentle as doves?

Means being gentle with ourselves

when the cost of resistance grinds us down yet again

as we speak truth to power

refusing to have our hurt explained away

and our resilience questioned

Or our narrative dismissed as idle tales

Wisdom and gentleness do go together

Just not always as imagined.