Tuesday: WHO CAN I FORGIVE?

Apr 11, 2023
2 min read

Luke 6:37-42

37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

39 And He spoke a parable to them: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 41 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Jesus instructs me not to judge or condemn, but tells me to forgive instead. Forgiving is a form of giving. When I forgive, I am giving grace to someone else. When I forgive and when I give, it will be given to me in abundance, as when I’m pressing it down to get more in, and it’s still running over.

If I forgive a little, then I should expect little forgiveness back. However, if I use a generous measure of forgiveness, it will be measured back to me in the same abundant blessing.

Jesus spoke a parable about relationships. When I look at a brother or sister in Christ, I should look first at myself to determine my faults. My relationship with my brother or sister in Christ should be to help them, not to judge or condemn them.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS

The best help my brother or sister in Christ can receive from me is for me to give them something they can use. They can use the grace of God, in the form of my forgiveness.

Since God has forgiven them, I can also. When I give them my forgiveness, I am removing judgement and condemnation from them and giving them grace instead. The grace that I receive from God, I give to them in abundance, with a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. I thank God for the forgiveness He has given me. One of the methods of my thanksgiving is for me to forgive others with the forgiveness He has given me. I want to be like Christ, and therefore practice what He taught me.

Lord, thank You for your immense forgiveness for my sins. Please present me with the opportunity to forgive others today with the grace that You have given me. Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman