A NEED TO FORGIVE

Written by Luz Leigh  -  24 August 2008

 

Are you a Daddy?  Mother? Son? Daughter? Brother? Sister?  Well, of course, you are.  There is a good probability that one or more of you who is reading this is hurting.   Not physically, but emotionally.

Maybe a sibling said some hurtful words about you or one of your children.  At the time they were spoken, that sibling had no intention of hurting anyone’s feelings.  It just came out wrong.

You two grew up in a loving Christian home where, by example, your parents taught you to love one another.  And you did…..and you still do.

Your parents watched you struggling to become a man or woman in this carnal world.  They knew there was family love that would see you through whatever the devil placed before you.  You had been placed in God’s hands.  “HE will watch over my children”.  And HE has.

            You fought with your siblings, sometimes physically, but mostly it was the name-calling or sibling rivalry manifesting itself through verbal outbursts.  More than once you were disciplined for your behavior.  Remember the groundings?  Oh, the ultimate one was “Hand me those car keys.”   But always there was love.

            Both of you survived those tough years.  Now you are grown, chronologically, at least.  You and your siblings are married, with children. 

Ahh, now we have another problem developing.   YOU are the parent and you will teach your children the values that were instilled in you.   You will afford protection for your children just as your parents did for you.

  Then one day, one of your siblings says or does something that brings emotional hurt to your child.  You become very defensive.  Words are spoken between you and your sibling.  A wall goes up.  After a few days have passed, you both know there was no intent to hurt your child.  And the words that the mother of that child spoke to you when the hurt was still fresh, were as natural as the sun rising in the east. 

            The thing that must be done is this:   you two siblings must sit down and talk; ask forgiveness; exchange big hugs like you have always done, and move on with your life.  Simple?  Sure…..except pride has reared its ugly head.  Neither of you wants to be the first to admit to being wrong.  Neither wants to pick up the phone or send the e-mail saying, “We need to talk.”  

So the festering goes on just like a sore that scabs over, but the infection is still there.  In your hearts, the “infection” is there and until you rid yourselves of it, no complete healing can take place.  There MUST be forgiveness.  In Mark 11:25 Jesus told us that when we pray for forgiveness, we must also forgive those against whom we hold anything.  In writing to the church at Colosse, the Apostle Paul admonished them to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  Colossians 3:13

           

 Today is the appointed time for you to reconcile with your sibling(s).  Forgive.  The Bible teaches us in Matthew 18 to go to the person who has offended you and make things right.  Proverbs 17:1 tells us it is better to have only a dry piece of crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.   In Proverbs 18:19 we find these words: “An offended brother (sister) is more unyielding than a fortified city and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.” 

 

Will you not take down that wall?  Pick up the phone…make that call.  Today.  FORGIVE.