Families that Forgive
Matthew 7:1-2 Don't judge others, and God will not judge you. If you judge others, you will be judged the same way you judge them. God will treat you the same way you treat others.
There’s one factor more than any other, that’s going to tear your family apart. Deal with it, and the chances of your family relationships fracturing are going to drop dramatically. Don’t deal with it, and you can almost guarantee that it will fall apart.
Would you like to know what that one thing is? It’s unforgiveness.
Here’s the thing with families. We rub up close to each other, because we live under the same roof. So, we experience first-hand, over and over again, the faults and failings of each member of our family. And it’s like that Chinese water torture – drip, drip, drip – day after day after rotten day! And eventually you just can’t take it anymore. Never mind that you have our own faults and weaknesses. Never mind that you may be driving them crazy too.
And so, a culture of unforgiveness sets in. Instead of accepting our wives or our husbands, our children or our parents, our brother or our sisters, for who they are, we think to ourselves, “Well, if they’re not going to change, why should I? How long can this go on? They just don’t deserve me!” You see it all the time. And that’s how relationships fracture. That’s how families fall apart.
But being put in a family, was always God’s idea. Putting imperfect people in close proximity to one another… that was always God’s plan. Because that’s where we learn to forgive. And for God, forgiveness is a big deal.
Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. If you judge others, you will be judged the same way you judge them. God will treat you the same way you treat others. (Matthew 7:1-2)
That’s sobering, isn’t it, when you read it in the context of your family relationships? I wonder, how different would your family be, if a culture of forgiveness took hold? No, no – let’s bring it even closer to home. Let’s make it even more personal, still.
How different would your family be if you forgave those who have hurt you? How different would your family be, if you let go of the resentment and handed it over to God? How different would your family be, if you just accepted each person exactly how they are and showed them the grace and the mercy that God has shown you?
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
Blessed by this devotion?
Share it with a friend!
Respond