There's a very good reason why the Bible places such an emphasis on Forgiveness.
We ALL screw up.
We all have personality warts, failures, rough edges which
abrase against one another's rough edges.
Not one of us tripping over our own feet can exist without needing to be forgiven.
Persona non Grata-describes one who is not appreciated, is unwanted...but the actual meaning (Doug's interpretation) is a person to whom Grace (forgiveness) is NOT to be extended.
This is universal-it is a lot easier to tear someone down than to forgive them. If you forgive someone, you must drop any grudge against that person...and for some, that is impossible.
If their entire existence is defined by being outraged, offended, hateful...to forgive someone attacks their self image.
Here's the bucket. Follow me on this, please.
If person ONE has an issue with person TWO and vents to persons THREE and FOUR (Or four million)...THREE and FOUR may take up and carry the outrage of person ONE.
Especially if they already have issues with person TWO-it reinforces their grudges to find others who also consider person TWO a Persona non Grata.
So...if you sift out all the forgiveness, hold on to grudges, and never extend grace...will grace be extended to you when you screw up?
Break the cycle.
If I have offended anyone, if any are holding on to grudges against me, please forgive me. I am imperfect, and have issues. I'm trying my best to make it through life without offending anyone. And I fail.
I am sorry. Please forgive.
1 comment:
The wise saying that
"It is better to give than to receive."
has a corollary:
"It is better to forgive than to receive forgiveness."
Though forgiving blesses both.
Don't carry a grudge, and please don't carry someone else's grudge.
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