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By Their Fruits We Shall Know Them
I don't profess to have it together in every area, but Johanna is always amazed how quick I can overlook or forgive an experience and move on. At least in this case, she said she has learned from me to forgive and seek restitution quickly, where before she would hold grudges as many people often practice. What in part changed me was this, the sight of children playing in a sandbox. Children will fight and they may do so with fury, but in a matter of minutes, all is forgotten and they proceed to play as if nothing ever happened nor do they give thought to the offense later.
Jesus pointed this out saying, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 18:3. Unless we learn to forgive swiftly and quickly, we are not on the path of light and have no hope of heaven. Forgiveness is Love and it is everything about what Jesus represented. It is the crux of the message, the hope and the faith. Fail forgiveness, fail the faith, forfeit eternal life. It is truly our choice!
It is as we get older do we learn to store resentment, disdain, hate, and grudges. Remembering grievances is part of our base nature that demands vengeance, eye for an eye retaliation. It can be nurtured and grows until it consumes like powerful vines, strangling the joy from our hearts. People who burn bridges are self-destructive and toxic, they are cynical about others and dysfunctional in relationships. Essentially, the fruit of their tree is rotten, destined for the eternal fire that cannot be quenched. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" Matthew 7:19.
I never expect unbelievers to respond with mercy or civility, where they have never known the way to mercy or grace through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. However, we have and we can read together, "If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Even if he sin's against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” Luke 17:4 We should repent even if we are not fully the reason for the separation and continue to repent and pray at some point on the journey, the other person can forgive and release everything and seek communion again.
Repenting is not a sign of weakness or cowardice, it is instead a tender heart seeking restoration in humility, counting others more important than themselves. It requires selflessness and willingness to be vulnerable, a Holy Spirit courageousness the world cannot understand.
Jesus pointed this out saying, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" Matthew 18:3. Unless we learn to forgive swiftly and quickly, we are not on the path of light and have no hope of heaven. Forgiveness is Love and it is everything about what Jesus represented. It is the crux of the message, the hope and the faith. Fail forgiveness, fail the faith, forfeit eternal life. It is truly our choice!
It is as we get older do we learn to store resentment, disdain, hate, and grudges. Remembering grievances is part of our base nature that demands vengeance, eye for an eye retaliation. It can be nurtured and grows until it consumes like powerful vines, strangling the joy from our hearts. People who burn bridges are self-destructive and toxic, they are cynical about others and dysfunctional in relationships. Essentially, the fruit of their tree is rotten, destined for the eternal fire that cannot be quenched. "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" Matthew 7:19.
I never expect unbelievers to respond with mercy or civility, where they have never known the way to mercy or grace through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. However, we have and we can read together, "If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. Even if he sin's against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to say, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” Luke 17:4 We should repent even if we are not fully the reason for the separation and continue to repent and pray at some point on the journey, the other person can forgive and release everything and seek communion again.
Repenting is not a sign of weakness or cowardice, it is instead a tender heart seeking restoration in humility, counting others more important than themselves. It requires selflessness and willingness to be vulnerable, a Holy Spirit courageousness the world cannot understand.
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