Painting and Forgiveness

I’ve been busy (and will be for the rest of the weekend) doing my most favorite thing in the entire world – painting.   Oh yippee… Did you pick up on any cynicism?!? The only thing I despise MORE than painting, is paying someone else to paint for me.   It is one of the projects that is on my New Year’s Goal list, the entry way.   The room is not that big, but there is a lot of   cut-in work around molding, doors, a sidelight window and transom windows.

I didn’t want to leave you hanging, so I am re-posting one of my very first blog posts.   Considering my readership back then had an average of oh, let’s say, 0 readers per day, this is probably new to the 4 readers I have today.

Have a good weekend.

T

Repost from May 2007

Lessons on forgiveness by a three year old

Luke 17:3-4 “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

A couple of days ago, I witnessed a scene that is replayed in our home a number of times every week. My 5-year-old son, moments after being warned leave his brother and his brother’s toy alone, snatched said toy right out of the 3-year-old’s hands and took off running. Tigger whined. Woody was scolded, and sent to time out to think about his behavior. After a Mommy hug, Tigger went on playing. Several minutes later, Woody’s punishment was complete; he left time out, and apologized for his offense. Tigger’s response, while rather ordinary, touched my heart. He said “It’s okay, Woody, gimme a hug!” They hugged, giggled, and all was well. Each time this happens, the result is always the same, Tigger says “It’s okay. Give me a hug.”

As I reflect and contemplate the scene, I am reminded of verses from Luke 17:3-4. It says if your brother repents, you forgive, pretty much regardless of the number of times it may occur, if he repents, you forgive. While I’d like to be the smiling, proud parent shining my fingernails on my lapel, saying “my boy learned that from me.” I must confess I have a great deal to learn about forgiveness. Often when I am the one who is offended and an apology is offered, I am so selfishly busy being angry…or upset… or irritated… or frustrated… or “fill-in-the-blank”…at the offender, I miss the opportunity to forgive.

And, isn’t that just what the enemy wants? When we’re selfish – when we hang on to our hurts, sometimes even cherishing them, we can cultivate them into a wound. A wound we can show the world and cry, “Look at what he did to me. He injured me. He did this to me. He deserves the blame. He is worthy of your condemnation. I ought to have your condolences and sympathy. Feel bad for me. Waaa, waaa, waaa!” When we have a pity party, we become the victim, the offender becomes the villain, and the enemy becomes the victor. While I am not a theology scholar, I’m quite certain that is not what God intended.

Colossians 3: 13 says, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” On the occasion when I take a step back and am obedient to the scripture “forgive as I was forgiven,” an amazing thing happens – I am quickly filled with His sense of peace. I can forgive, offer a hug, and move on. No one has to become the victim.

My (almost) 3-year-old has taught me valuable a lesson on forgiveness. The next time I have the opportunity to forgive when it’s asked for (and sometimes even when it isn’t) I can decide how to respond. I can choose to be a selfish victim, or I can choose to forgive and say “It’s okay. Give me a hug.”