Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. (Luke 17:3-4 KJV)
“THE F WORD: GOING TO THE OFFENDER”
At the Metro station in New Carrolton, MD, when the escalator is broken; instead of people walking up the stairs, many look to the elevator to get them to the upper level where the Metro buses are. Crowds of people will swarm to the elevator hoping to get a spot in before the doors close. This happened to me this morning, and in laziness I decided to cram into the elevator to get to the upper level. I really didn’t feel like walking up the stairs, but wanted some justice from the elevator.
So what does this have to do with the F word? Well, let me say what the F word is first: FORGIVENESS. This word is what many of us Christians need to practice to root out bitterness in our lives. When we are offended, many times we want the offender to come to us. We crowd around the elevator which will make us feel better emotionally; the offender needs to come to us to lift us up. We would never want to try and take the stairs of going to the offender, trying to resolve the conflict right? Exactly! It amazes me that I struggle with bitterness in my heart, yet Christians in other countries lose family members through severe persecution and are quick to forgive. What’s wrong with that picture Karsten?
It is noted that Matthew 5:23 that Jesus tells the offender to go to the offended; due to the fact of the verses before that. But in Luke 17, Jesus Christ is saying to go to the offender. Why? Reconciliation is for both parties involved in the matter. A lot of times we like to sit and wait for that person to come to us. But what if that person does not know of any wrong they did? You’re mad and they’re moving on. Go to that person, even if you know they know about it. Reconcile the matter, seek to forgive one another, because Jesus Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13). He came with forgiveness first at our offence on Him (Luke 23:34, Romans 5:8, Hebrews 2:17).
Let us stop waiting for the other person to come with humility because they offended us. Honestly, sin may have not been done to us at all. We would not know unless we go to the person with the F word. Don’t take the easy road of waiting for forgiveness to happen; go to the person and discuss the issues. Here’s another admonishment from scripture: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2)
Some Scriptures references: Genesis 50:20-21, Proverbs 19:11, Mark 11:25, Luke 23:34, Galatians 6:1-2.
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