Revenge and Forgiveness

There are times when people do us ill to the point where we want payback. Either proportional, or wildly disproportional.

Usually, we would, in our hearts, opt for disproportional.

But there is a problem. He's standing there in front of us, in a robe, with long flowing hair, and a beard.

That pesky meddlesome busybody.

Jesus.

HE says, we have to forgive. period.

Well, if THEY asked forgiveness...

Uh, no. He says, forgive. Period. As in, 'out trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us'.

Crap. I don't see an escape clause, do you?

He did elaborate, while hanging on the cross. "Forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing."

And that says it all. None of us really know what we're doing, in God's accounting. We may feel that we're following the rules pretty well, but the crap that's in our hearts condemns us as surely as if we'd taken a Taliban solution to our enemies.

So, grudgingly...He has to allow us that, I hope...we forgive.

And when we repeat it every day, re-forgiving those who wronged us, even when we're sure that they're high-fiving at our discomfort.

That forgiveness may save them. Or not.

But it saves us.