Jesus said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15

We all know we are commanded to forgive but do you know it is for your own good? Someone once said, “Not forgiving others is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Holding back on forgiveness is not just about the other person. Mostly it is about the offended one. Forgiving others keeps bitterness, resentment and anger from poisoning our minds and hearts. I used to be one of those people chained by anger and bitterness. I’ve known some people who would carry this burden for decades, some even carried it to their graves.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s not about waiting until the other person asks to be forgiven or deserves to be forgiven. NONE of us will ever be worthy of the forgiveness God offered us. (“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”) Forgiveness is about extending the love of God to others. But it is also about protecting our heart.

I wonder if sometimes we are needlessly offended. For example, someone who normally is not uncaring is having a bad day (or month or year!). And today they say or do something that offends you. If we’re going to take offense we’re going to have to deal with the forgiveness issue. Maybe we just need to dial our sensitivity shield down a few notches. The same principle could be applied to people who are always in a bad mood, always inconsiderate and offensive. Couldn’t we just write these comments off and let our shield of faith ward off those angry darts? We probably won’t be able to change this person, but we don’t have to let their attacks land on us. Better to just let them roll off us.

I don’t normally follow much news about the pope, but one recent article* caught my eye. A shipwreck of African migrants off the coast of a small Mediterranean island was hardly noticed by the world but it grabbed the attention of Pope Francis. Casting a memorial wreath into the waters in honor of those who died, the pope made a poignant comment that should reach the heart of each of us: “We have fallen into a globalization of indifference.” And then he prayed for forgiveness for the world leaders who have ignored the plight of those who died seeking freedom. Later he tweeted: “We pray for a heart which will embrace immigrants. God will judge us upon how we have treated the most needy,” reflecting Jesus’ call in Matthew 25. (See yesterday’s post.)

As we think about forgiving others, let’s remember we also need to ask forgiveness for our indifference to others.

Original CNN article about the pope may be found at: http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/14/is-pope-francis-the-catholic-princess-diana/