For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)
I recently ran across a video news clip reflecting on the events behind a new book called Amish Grace. It tells the story of a man who shot and killed several children in an Amish schoolhouse before turning the gun on himself. It focuses on the response of the community. Rather than becoming angry and bitter, they forgive the man and care for his family. Amazing grace.
The Bible tells us that our ability to be forgiven is directly tied to our willingness to forgive others. This can be a scary thought. Many of carry grudges (whether we admit it or not), and these grudges get in the way of our freedom to live in love.
In many ways, forgiveness goes against the grain of our human nature. It’s also not something we can simply manufacture in our desire to be good persons. Forgiveness is a grace, a gift from God, that only comes when we are open to receive it and extend it to others.
