Forgiveness??

Forgiveness Okay, I know that we've all be told to forgive. When the bully pushed you off the swing or people make fun of you you are supposed to forgive them. But what do we really do? I think most people just say okay I guess I forgive you because that's what I'm supposed to do but that's the only reason. And that is not the forgiveness we are called to have.

Two years ago, my Uncle had a near death accident. After almost twenty four hours of surgery, he pulled through alive and his attacker was caught. But here's the thing. He has a wife and seven children, all of which were still living at home. The man who attacked him almost left my Uncle's seven children fatherless and his wife a widow. When the trial was held, my Uncle was allowed to deliver a speech. And do you know what he did? He forgave his attacker. Despite the fact that he was almost killed and his children were almost made fatherless, he had the courage to look the man in the eyes and sincerely tell him that he was forgiven. And THAT is what we are called to do. To be able to give true unconditional forgiveness to a person no matter what they do to you. Now forgiveness doesn't mean trust just to clear that up. If the situation is bad it is perfectly acceptable to say that you are never going to talk or interact with them again. But only after you have truly, unconditionally forgiven them. Because that is true kind of forgiveness that Christ is really calling us to have. -Kateri