There are some things that I write, and I enjoy every single moment of it. Such as when I wrote a five-part blog series on “The Flash” this month, that was something I thoroughly enjoyed. But there are times when I honestly wish I didn’t have to write about something; today’s blog’s falls into that second category.
Speaking of “The
Flash” there was an exchange in season 3 that came to my mind, as I begin
today. (If you are tired of this subject
matter, bear with me, as it sets up what I want to talk about.) Barry is speaking to his friend, Felicity,
about some of the changes that have occurred in his world. In the midst of laying all this out, he
speaks of how there is also someone who doesn’t like him very much. Felicity says, “Well, that’s impossible;
everybody likes Barry Allen. You’re like
pudding; everybody likes pudding.”
While I never thought of it in terms of Felicity’s analogy,
I can relate to it. Like Barry, I try to
treat everyone around me with kindness and respect. I remembered how, several years ago, a
coworker said that they wanted to tease me about something. But even though it would have all been
innocuous and fun, they said because I was too nice, they decided against
it. Now, understand I’m certainly not
opposed to some good-natured ribbing.
The point is, even if you are Mr. Nice Guy, even if you treat others
around you with kindness, you will still have detractors. That’s the case for Barry Allen, and for
myself as well.
I’ll do you a favor and spare you the gory details, but not
long ago, my kindness was responded to with hostile words, they deeply injured me like I
haven’t been injured in decades. The
Bible says the tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). Words have incredible power, either to heal
or hurt. These particular words hurt me
so deeply it felt like my heart had been stabbed with a knife. I was left feeling like I’d been punched in
the stomach repeatedly, trying to regain my breath and my equilibrium.
I had a choice to make: either let this deep hurt fester
inside me, leaving me bitter and angry, or choose to practice the Bible’s
proposed remedy: forgiveness. I chose
the latter. Jesus, in the prayer He
taught His disciples, said to pray: “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive
everyone who sins against us” (Luke 11:4). Colossians
3:13: “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a
complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also you must do.” Ephesians 4 instructs, “And be kind to one
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (verse 32; italics mine for emphasis).
Why am I bringing this up?
Because it’s entirely possible you may be reading this and you too have
been hurt deeply. I want to help you. From firsthand experience I can
attest that healing from a deep hurt is absolutely possible, but it is only possible through the power of
forgiveness. That’s not to say that
it’s easy. When those emotions rose up
in me, I had to continually remind myself over and over – and over – of my
decision to forgive; that I considered the debt paid, that I left the matter to
God for Him to avenge (Romans 12:19), and that the chapter was closed. Eventually, my emotions began to follow my
will.
Let me conclude with this.
I love Gordon Mote’s song “Mercy
Walked in”. In it, he likens his
salvation to being in a courtroom, condemned and guilty. However, “Mercy walked in and pleaded my
case, called to the stand God’s saving grace; the blood was presented the
covered my sin. Forgiven when Mercy
walked in.” I’ve easily listened to this
song a hundred times, and shed countless tears at the joy of my own salvation,
forgiveness, and personal relationship with Jesus.
The song ends there, but imagine something with
me. Suppose the person released from the
courtroom – the one completely forgiven – is subsequently hurt by another
person, and hurt very deeply. What else
could the response possibly be but to choose to forgive the offender? After all, since “Mercy walked in” and
forgave, whatever this person forgives will pale in comparison to what he has
already been forgiven.
Kevin
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