THROUGH THE EYES OF GRACE

It is easy to say we love God and we believe in God. Anybody can say that. However, the way we conduct ourselves say more than what comes out of our lips. 

I encountered this true story last year. I could not remember if I heard it on the radio or read it in a book. But let me summarize it for you.

A Christian lady sought the advice of her spiritual director. She told him that she's been saved for a long time but something is still not right. She said she's been trying to walk the walk. She attends church regularly, give tithes, try to be nice to strangers and highly participate in socio-civic activities.

However, she said there is still something missing. When the spiritual director prodded her with questions, he was able to detect where the void was. Apparently. the lady had had a falling-out with her mother ten years ago and even though they've been in good terms already, she still held a grudge against her. She has not totally forgiven her in her heart.

She was counseled by her spiritual advisor to talk things over with her mother, tell her how she feels, just let it all out once and for all. She needed to forgive her totally, Then she had to ask for forgiveness for holding on to her unforgiveness for so long.

The lady prayed about it, did what she was advised to do, and she couldn't believe how things have changed. There were no more clouds in her horizon. She felt a big burden was lifted up and that felt so good. Her trip to the doctor even decreased dramatically.

My friends, unforgiveness can make us sick. When we hold on to the negative feelings, they permeate our system and so manifest themselves in illnesses. Most of what's wrong with us are psychosomatic.

When someone does us wrong and hurt us badly, our initial reaction was to get mad. Then we want to get even. Those very bad acts against us that we take to court, even if the prosecutor, judge and the jury say we need to have justice for closure, there is a very faint voice whispering to us "set it free!" 

True closure comes not in achieving justice the human way (a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye [Matthew 5:38-39 ) but in forgiveness. I know it is not easy. In fact, that is the hardest thing to do. Everytime you see the person who did you wrong, you remember all the things that he or she did and then the pain becomes raw all over again.

But if you want to set yourself free from the prison of anger, rage and unforgiveness, you have to try harder. First, you can set aside your pain for a while and try to think of all the possible reasons why he or she acted that way. Trust me, if we look past our hurts, we will see that there is always a reason. 

Sometimes the reason is one that we can not understand, but let us go deeper than that. Persons who continually cause other people pain do so because they themselves were victims of painful circumstances, most probably in that crucial stage of self-esteem development that damaged their characters eventually. 

As our highest goal as Christians is to be like Jesus, we need to remind ourselves not of what Jesus would do but of what Jesus did in similar situations. He did not match their sneers with a sneer; He looked at them through the eyes of grace instead. Remember what He said when He was almost out of life in that cross? "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY WERE DOING" (Luke 23:34)

That statement is the truth. If they did, they would not have condemned Him to die on the cross. They were blinded by their greed, jealousy and hardened hearts.

So next time your blood is boiling just thinking of that person who's hurt you over and over again, make a mental note: I think he is more pitiful than I am because he is lost, confused and blinded.

Father, I was told to love my enemies and pray for my persecutors. I could not do it by myself for I am another sinful human being. Help me to love the unlovable, reach the unreachable and to do the impossible -- to FORGIVE. Amen."

Meditation: Matthew 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
But he refused.
Instead, he had him put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master
and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”

--that in all things God may be glorified