Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Rest, Relationships, and Healing “. The story of Joseph concludes this week. And our lesson delves into forgiveness. Each lesson leads us to look into this topic. I do hope you study this. It gives us much to consider as we face our own hurts and betrayal.
Forgiveness is more than just ignoring a hurt. More than just “letting it go”. More than an avoidance. More than a passive acquiescence to “the way things are”. Forgiveness is an active seeking to “put aside” what stands between the “two”. An ongoing, active pursuing of the way to “put aside” this difference. And will keep trying (beyond 70 times 7), never-ending as long as life shall last… until that variance is reconciled… if the other party will. But even if the other party “will not”, you will keep striving, keep working with all divine ingenuity motivated by Divine Love for the “other”. Being led by God to try every Divine method to “put aside” the difference. This is forgiveness. This is what Joseph did with his brothers. He demonstrated true forgiveness. His was not a mere passive forgiveness (so-called). It was not an inward acceptance of what had happened between himself and his brothers. It was not even action to assure their nefarious deed would not be repeated. NO! It was striving with divine ingenuity to forever “put aside” the animosity that was in his brothers’ hearts. And the only way he could do this (or we can do this) is if from the same motivation of Joseph. The motivation of love.
Luke records an interesting dialogue between Christ and the 12. It highlights the idea of true forgiveness. At first, Christ’s response to the Disciples/ Apostles request “Increase our faith” seems rather mysterious. But His response is really “right-on”. Here is the story and Christ’s response in Luke 17: 1-10.
“Then He said to the disciples, ‘It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.’ 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith’.”
6 So the Lord said, ‘If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”
In this we see the apostles (the followers of Christ, not just the Twelve) understand that Christ’s call to continually forgive, even “seven times in a day” is impossible without “faith”. And then Christ goes on to tell them that even if they merely “did these things that were commanded him”, then they would be missing the point of it all. They would only be “unprofitable servants”. Forgiving, even “seven times in a day” merely because you are told-to (or ought-to) is not really true forgiveness at all. True forgiveness is an active striving to truly mend broken fences, to reconcile to a “oneness” … or as the Bible says … at-one-ment. The true meaning of the word “atonement”. And this continual forgiveness, this continual striving for at-one-ment is only possible from a heart of love for the “other”.
So once again, we come back to the basic issue, the prime directive… our motivation… our “heart”. We have a sin-filled (self-focused) heart and mind. A heart and mind that is antithetical to love. Love alone will bring the only true forgiveness. Because true forgiveness is more than a selfish heart can conjure-up. More than “doing all those things that were commanded” (quoted above). True forgiveness is an outgrowth of love for others that will not stop striving for reconciliation. And this love only comes as we are “born again”, as demonstrated in the life of Joseph.
With brotherly love,
Jim