Forgiveness

A couple of days ago we watched a movie called Amish Grace, it is based on the Amish schoolhouse shootings 4 years ago.  When hubby and I were looking around on the internet at some info on one of the actors we ran across some not so nice reviews on the movie. I didn’t read the reviews, only the intro lines, but I wondered if what they wanted to see were the disgusting details of what happened that day. The movie was not a big budget movie but the actors portrayed what the core of the movie was about very well.

What came of that tragedy was the knowledge of the amazing faith these simple people have and how they live their lives with total commitment to what they believe. The message was clear, forgiveness, we know what happen in that little schoolhouse it was all over the news for so long but that fact that they forgave that man and did not hold a grudge toward his wife and children was and is such a powerful message. Even stepping forward to attend his funeral, not for him, but for his family as a support when so many walked away from them.

Can we say we would be that forgiving?

The dough in the bowl isn't as forgiving as the kitten below whose total trust and love is shown in his position in my son's arms. He has been dropped from only about a foot off the ground and he was wiggling up a storm but he still loved the person (me) who did it. He has gotten wrapped up in our feet as we walk across a room since he has to attack everything moving and been accidently kicked but he still loves us.

The dough on the other hand can be very unforgiving depending on the littlest of circumstances. I have added to much salt and killed the yeast, or not enough of something simple and the results have been tasteless. Bread is very simple to make and I have gotten good at it but it still can fail because of a little thing I forgot or that someone else did. It doesn't bounce back and take shape because I said I was sorry.

To forgive is so hard and to forgive such a gut wrenching tragedy says so much. It is so easy to hold on to that anger and hard heartedness and let that anger simmer and become more than it needs to be.

The adversary knows this and stokes the fires that keep that anger burning. It consumes us a till we are so bitter at so many things that we have forgotten what started it all. Our hearts are shallow pits of hate.

But the one person that started it all has moved on and either doesn't realize what they did or doesn't even care. Do we want a hurt to fester to the point where it rules our every thought and action?

Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trepasses. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses.

The movie held a powerful message, one of the Amish mothers said in one scene that every day she wakes and expects to hear her daughters singing but that she doesn't anymore and the anger threatens to overtake her. She offers it to the Lord and in and hour she might have to do it again and then in an hour do it again. We have to work at it hourly keep ourselves in check.

I for one learned from the simple message throughout the movie, forgiveness, it is such a simple word but holds such power over us. To forgive brings peace to not forgive brings such anger and hatred.

What will rule our lives if we let it?