|
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
But I say to you that listen: Love your enemies, do good to
those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those
who abuse you.
Before apartheid ended in
South Africa, the white rugby team was a hated symbol of the
country's racial segregation. In the movie Invictus, the black
bodyguards and political advisers of newly elected President
Nelson Mandela wanted to change the colors or even disband the
team. President Mandela taught them, however, that the way to a
new and better day would not be through revenge against former
oppressors. The way forward would be through forgiveness and
reconciliation.
Jesus calls followers to live in markedly different ways: "Love
your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who
curse you, pray for those who abuse you."
These words sound good in theory, when hearing them for the
first time in Sunday school, when life has been relatively free
of turmoil, abuse and violence. But loving your antagonists and
doing good to those who have it in for you gets much tougher in
reality. I think of the person who has endured years of abuse,
or the man in Florida recently proven innocent after 35 years in
prison, or black South Africans after years of apartheid.
Reformation members themselves hear these words of Jesus having
endured protesters, having experienced violence in sacred space.
The Lenten season helps us to see the sin in our own life, our
own complicity in the world's injustices and rebellion against
God. It is also a season that holds before us the demands of
discipleship. We have a Savior who does not hold our sin against
us, but says from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know
not what they do (23:34)." He is also the servant Christ who
bids us to walk in the ways of mercy and reconciliation, even
when the going is tough.
O God, it is only by
your love and power that I could ever love my enemies or show
kindness to those who do me harm. Help me to see the power of
forgiveness in creating new life, beginning with your
forgiveness of my sin. In Jesus' name. Amen.
The Rev. Dr. Gerald Mansholt
Bishop, Central States Synod
|
