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There is a person who was my friend for many years and she was very kind and giving to me. I really appreciated her and all that she did for me. We had a disagreement about something and she hurt me deeply and I also hurt her deeply. I don’t think either one of us hurt the other on purpose. I think that we were just saying how we felt even though the words came out inappropriately.
The sad thing is that I truly have forgiven her and apologized several times to her for hurting her. She apparently has not truly forgiven me from her heart because she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me. I told her that I wanted to mail her a gift and she told me that she didn’t want it and not to mail it. That hurt me, but far more important, it hurt Jesus.
If ever anyone has the right to be hurt and not forgive, it is Jesus. Yet, as He looked down on the ones who were there the day He hung on that cruel cross for us it didn’t matter to Him how they had hurt Him because He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). It didn’t matter to Him because He loves us so much. It also shouldn’t matter to us when our families, and our loved ones and friends hurt us.
If we loved Jesus the way that we should love Him, we would be a lot more forgiving and slower to say critical and sarcastic words to each other. O’ that we would fall in love with the Christ of Calvary, the One who gave His all for us!