WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021 FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

 WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2021 FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

Let’s see … I want to reconcile with somebody - but I just can’t forgive what they have done.

In the (audio) book I’m listening to - Unconditional by Brian Zahnd - the author tells of Corrie Ten Boom - a Dutch Christian who was imprisoned during World War II as her family hid Jews from the Nazis.  Her parents were killed, and she and her sister were in a concentration camp.  Her sister died there but Corrie somehow managed to live.  After the war, Corrie gave presentations on forgiveness and love in Europe. 

From:  https://www.guideposts.org/better-living/positive-living/guideposts-classics-corrie-ten-boom-forgiveness (I edited the article down)

“It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoke

“When we confess our sins,” I said, “God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever.”

And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones.

It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbrück concentration camp where we were sent.  (Her sister Betsie died in Ravensbrück)

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: “A fine message, fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!”

But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. It was the first time since my release that I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

“You mentioned Ravensbrück in your talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard there.” No, he did not remember me.

“But since that time,” he went on, “I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein”–again the hand came out–“will you forgive me?”

For I had to do it–I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. “If you do not forgive men their trespasses,” Jesus says, “neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion–I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart!”

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then.

*****

That is forgiveness - reaching deep into our being - beyond emotions, beyond reasoning and logic, to our very core.  And Corrie said (with some reluctance) “I forgive you” - and the emotions came flooding in with intensity.

*****

Is there anything we can’t forgive?  The author of this book, “Unconditional” would say “no” - no matter the evil, the atrocity, the horror can keep us from saying “I forgive”.  Jesus from the cross said “Jesus said, “Father, forgive them” - even those who flogged him, and spit on him, and those that yelled “Crucify” and the leaders who wanted this radical out of the way, and the Romans who kept an iron hand on the land.  

“I forgive”.  Sometimes those might be the hardest two words to say if you really mean them.  

Aside, as happens with children, sometimes one child might take a toy from another.  Mom might intervene and tell the child to return the toy and say that they were sorry.  The child might say “I’m sorry”, but it is a perfunctory exercise - one done to satisfy Mom.  

In recent years, we’ve had the “Sorry, not sorry” statement.  I somehow picture this with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup - that has a big bite out of it. The culprit says “Sorry” (meaning I shouldn’t have taken a bite out of your candy), but then adds, “Not Sorry” (because the joy in having the candy is more than the apology.)

Can you forgive somebody who just took a huge bite out of your candy bar?  I hope so!!  

Can you forgive the person who raped you and left you half dead - bruised, broken bones, crushed spirit?  I hope so!!  

FORGIVENESS - what a concept!!!

Tomorrow - getting revenge!!!

LOVE WINS!!

Karen