January 2021

Prelude to conversation…

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?  Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”                                                                              Matthew 18:21-22

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
– Gautama Buddha 6-4 BC

If we are going to get over this…. it would be good for us to forgive each other.

This is not to say that the consequences of our offending someone…of our mistake…of our sin…of our crime… immediately go away.  Whoever is the offender should take responsibility for their offense.   But it is to say that if we want to move on from here…if we want to live in a family, community, state, nation or world which does not burn up in the heat of our anger and hurt…it would be good for us to forgive.
…
Forgiveness.  When we forgive, we let go of our anger, hurt, resentment and pain …to give the one who has offended us the respect with which each person ought to be treated.  This is not easy…but holding out, not forgiving, leads to war, anger, injustice and conflict internally and externally…and that leads to people (forgiver and forgivee) getting injured…hurt…burned.

I’ve been trying to get down… to the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak… and my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it’s about… forgiveness…  forgiveness…                              
-Don Henley

Yes!  It is about forgiveness.

So let’s get down to the heart of the matter…and forgive.

Pastor Ted Anderson, Assistant District Superintendent