“Be on your
guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him. And if
he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I
am sorry,’ you should forgive him.” Luke
17:3-4
Complete forgiveness can be very difficult at times. This is especially the case when the same
person sins against you “seven times in one day” as Jesus says. Parents know this feeling all too well, when
their children continue to do things they have been told not to multiple times
during the day. We get very frustrated
with our children or grandchildren, but Jesus’ words should be taken to
heart. He was not being idealistic;
rather, He was being very realistic.
Forgiveness must be given, over and over and over again. We can’t hesitate in offering it, especially
to those who sincerely repent.
One of the first things we should notice from this passage
is that when someone sins against us, we should rebuke him. The rebuke is not to be an act focused on
revenge; rather, it must be done so as to invite repentance. This is the only reason for the rebuke of
another. If we have a sense that someone
who sins against us may be open to change, then we must offer them a rebuke of
love. And when they accept it and seek
our forgiveness, we must offer it.
But, as mentioned, this can especially be difficult when the
sin is committed repeatedly. It can
become wearying and discouraging. And
when a sin is committed over and over again, it’s easy to become skeptical
about the authentic sorrow of the one seeking forgiveness.
But none of that should be our concern. Our only concern should be to hear those
words, “I’m sorry.” This is the command
of Jesus. When one says these words, we
must forgive and do so immediately. I remember a line from an episode of the old
series “Touched By An Angel”; “If you can’t find the love for another in you, let GOD love him through you.” Even when you think you
can’t forgive, you have to anyway, as many times as necessary to understand
what God’s love is for all of us.
Today’s Scripture verse also reveals to us the importance of
expressing our sorrow to those whom we hurt.
It’s dangerous to simply presume that another will forgive. There is great power in actually saying to
another, “Please forgive me, I’m sorry for my sin.” Though these words may be difficult to say,
they are words of great healing.
We are all given numerous opportunities every day to forgive
and seek forgiveness. Do not hesitate in
doing so and you will be grateful you did.
Lord, I am truly sorry for the many sins I have committed
against You. Please forgive me. When I am obstinate, please offer me a rebuke
of love. When I need to ask forgiveness
of another, please give me the courage to do so. Jesus, I trust in You.
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