Week 3 – Forgiving others

You’ve heard the phrase “Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you.”  This very human sentiment implies that we should only give people one or two chances to change their behavior, and after that, we wash our hands of that person.  This is, once again – a great example of how God’s thoughts and ways are most definitely not our thoughts and ways.   

You see, God doesn’t only give us a couple of chances.  He gives us a new chance every day. Scriptures literally tell us that God’s mercies are new every morning.  

Last week we discussed how Isaiah 55:8-9 shows us how God’s thoughts towards us and our sins are so different from how we view ourselves.  While we humans struggle to fully forgive ourselves, when we come to him with repentant hearts, asking for his forgiveness – God forgives. 100% forgives.  He doesn’t hang on to our guilt like we do. He doesn’t keep reminding us of our sins. His word says that he has removed our sins from us as far as the East is from the West.   You can’t really get any farther than that!

We, on the other hand, rarely forgive others so completely.  But what if we did?   What if we could extend complete forgiveness toward others just like Jesus did?  

Becoming an apprentice of Jesus means studying how he operates and choosing to live like him. So let’s study Jesus.  Let’s look at an example of how Jesus approached forgiveness when Jesus was denied by his dear friend and disciple,  Peter.  

Peter was one of Jesus’ most ardent followers.  In fact, just before Jesus was to be crucified, Jesus had foretold Peter that he would one day deny knowing him.  Naturally, to which Peter was indignant and utterly disbelieving. Peter reacted by saying “Even if had to die with you, I would never disown you!”

Well you probably know what happened.  On the night of Jesus’ arrest, Peter was approached by three separate people asking if he was one of Jesus’ friends and followers.  When push came to shove, Mr. I-Would-Never-Deny-Jesus didn’t hesitate in responding to all three of them with – ‘Jesus who?….Never met the guy’.  

Now before we move on.  Think about if you were in Jesus’ shoes. Your dear friend, close as a brother, one who had claimed he would die for you, just told three people he didn’t even know you on the darkest night of your life.  Imagine how hurt and betrayed you would be.   Would you forgive that person?  Would be able to trust anything they ever said, again?

Fast forward.  Jesus was tried and murdered.  Though 100% innocent and blameless, he was ruthlessly tortured and murdered in front of everyone. 

But, as we all know, even death could not hold him.  He is God’s own son and therefore undefeatable.  Just three days after his death, he was up and out of the grave – alive.   

He found Peter and some of the other disciples as they fished in a boat.  Jesus called out to them  and Peter couldn’t believe his ears. Jesus?  You’re alive?  He was  out of his mind with amazement and joy that Jesus was resurrected that he jumped out of the boat and swam to the shore where Jesus was standing.  

It was there that we find a beautiful example of Jesus’ heart. We see in this scene, loud and clear, that Jesus’ thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways. Jesus didn’t say to Peter “Well, look what the cat drug in. What?  NOW you suddenly know me?!”  (That’s probably what I would’ve said)

Nor did he say “I forgive you for massively messing up.  That was pretty crappy of you to deny me.  But I forgive you.”

No, he gave Peter the opportunity to reveal his heart for his Savior.  He asked Peter if he loved him. Yes, Lord! He replied. Jesus asked him two more times, and each time, more emphatically, Peter was given the opportunity to tell Jesus that yes – He loved him.    Jesus didn’t then say “Fine, I guess I’ll forgive you, then.”

No, instead, Jesus demonstrated his forgiveness to Peter by putting his trust in him. He showed Peter that he was forgiven by entrusting his very life’s work to this man.  He essentially handed him the keys to the kingdom and said I trust you to take care of it.  

John 21:16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

Once again, the thoughts and ways of Jesus are so different from ours.  Jesus didn’t put Peter on a track of having to earn back his trust, he didn’t make him grovel.  He immediately conveyed to Peter that he was indeed forgiven to the extent that he was trusted with continuing the Lord’s work.

What if we could be like that?  That, when someone wrongs us and then repents, we forgive them so wholly that we entrust even more to them. We wipe the slate, littered with wrongdoing and betrayal completely clean. This is the way of Jesus.  This is the kind of love and forgiveness that he extends to us daily.  

Having the ways of Jesus to study and use to model our own walk is a true gift. When we don’t know how to move forward, how to love others or how to forgive, the Word of God shows us the thoughts and ways of our Heavenly Father. It is through His holy example that we can begin to understand the thoughts and ways of our Heavenly Father and aspire to be like him.