Updated Thursday, May 08, 2008

Bible Studies for Life lesson for May 25: Be Ready to Forgive

By Catherine Painter

Focal Passages: Eph. 4:22-32; Phil. 8-10, 15-18

Finished with dinner, we retired to the den for conversation. When our guests rose to leave, their son threw a pillow intended for the sofa onto a small antique pitcher, breaking our treasured wedding gift from my husband's grandparents.

"What have you learned from this?" the child's mother asked, gathering the pieces.

"Never to throw a pillow," he responded, visibly sorry and apologetic.

"I'll repair the pitcher," his mother promised. She returned it so well restored that I couldn't detect where the breaks had been.

Isn't it strange - the length we adults will go to repair broken things and neglect repairing broken relationships? The Apostle Paul reminded Ephesian Christians that God redeemed them to live a totally new way of life that includes the readiness to forgive others.

Paul's list of sins that promote conflict (Eph. 4:25-31) was addressed not to unbelievers but to Ephesian Christians. He ended his discourse urging, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ" (Eph. 4:32).

Forgiveness is a priceless gift to give another person. Let's ask the Holy Spirit to put His finger on any unforgiving spirit we harbor toward an individual or group, regardless of the magnitude of their wrong toward us or the depth of pain it caused. If someone finds release and joy from our forgiveness, a relationship may be unlocked and peace can replace conflict.

God not only wants us to forgive but He also expects it. Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors"(Matt. 6:12), implying that we have no right to expect God to forgive us unless we forgive each other.

Forgiveness is costly, but unforgiveness costs more. When we refuse to forgive others, we destroy the bridge over which we ourselves must cross to reach heaven, for everyone needs forgiveness.

General Oglethorpe once boasted to John Wesley, "I never forgive." Wesley answered, "Then, General, I hope you never sin."

It's not too late to unlock relationships with forgiveness. The journey begins with a single step forward without looking back, because God is more interested in where we're going than He is in where we've been.