Joy of Forgiveness

I know that I feel better when I can just let it go. Holding a grudge for the many times I’ve been criticized (sometimes rightly) or ghosted seems only to make things worse. Much of our prevailing culture is built on revenge or somehow identifying an adversary–readings for the upcoming weekend remind the hearer that forgiveness is “the better way” and that its rewards are freeing us–both complainer and those forgiven–from a prison of guilt which may/probably will eat away at our soul.

The Old Testament story is a familiar one: GENESIS 45:3-11 is the morality tale of Joseph forgiving his “evil” brothers. You may remember that Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob, and he unwisely lorded it over his older brothers, founding fathers of the Twelve Tribes. But now we find him in Egypt, having made it big in the palace of Pharoah. The brothers have come there to beg for aid in the midst of famine, not recognizing Joseph or knowing that he was in charge of the storehouses. Boy, were they surprised! But a generous Joseph said to them, “And do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” It was necessary for God to preserve Jacob’s family in order to continue the covenant once made with Abraham. Joseph introduces a divine process in maintaining the Hebrew HolyHistory and puts the matter into God’s gracious hands as part of The Plan.

I CORINTHIANS 15:35-38,42-50 continues Paul’s exhortation to this church of diversity and many beliefs about death. He speaks of the “physical body” and then of the “spiritual body”, both of which grow by gracious plan. “Resurrection” puzzles most of the believing world, not just the ancient Corinthians! Paul contrasts the folk-belief about angels and dancing in heaven (see this morning’s obituaries) with the eternal power given even to the weak and invalid. The concept of putting off mortal ills and putting on gracious perfection deals a great deal with whether we can accept that we ARE forgiven….

LUKE 6:27-38 is more of Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain”, a whole laundry-list of ethical behavior which is quite different from the way the world usually turns. “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for [he] is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.” We are told to go against the prevailing “wisdom”, to row bravely against the currant. It’s not easy, least for me. Yet despite our struggles to love our enemies, God continues to love us, continues to pick us up, dry our tears and dust us off for the next encounter. The “great reward” of which Jesus speaks is not one of material wealth or even personal satisfaction, but rather one of becoming more like Jesus, “going on to perfection”.

Allen Hilton tells us that “in the moment of forgiveness, the wronged one is transformed as a critic of the world as it is to co-creator with God of a brand-new world.” (FEASTING on the WORD, C 1:367) And so is the one forgiven, despite the depth of his/her rancor! Be at peace with others, and may God help all of us to mend our bridges…

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Join me every Tuesday to examine (and be examined by) Scripture lessons assigned to be read during the upcoming weekend–at horacebrownking.com