One Thing Now: Forgive

We religious types throw around forgiveness like you just get up one morning and, poof, you forgive everyone everything. Jesus was good at that. We are not. And even those with good examples in front of us have seen those good examples fail against their enemies.

Today, I want one less rod. I remember giving up on politics—on being on the right side of the aisle. I remember polling the precincts. I remember working for the advance crew. I remember paying $85.00 to get rid of a sinus infection because they really are smoke filled rooms.

But one beautiful day, I gave it to God. Let Him raise up whom He will raise up and bring down whom He will bring down. The good will be a blessing. The bad will be a warning. Can you imagine a country with no enemies? Goodness is a thin thread and sometimes, it depends on knowing you are not impregnable; on knowing you need strength and prayers. I have no political rod in me. Pray for the King. That is my part and I can do that.

There are other rods. Always there are other rods. And today, I want to take one out of the rod closet and dissipate it with forgiveness. Maybe it will be a unkind word. Perhaps it will be an unkind act. Maybe it will be a whole person. Whatever it is, today I want to hand it up to God and leave one less hurt in the hurt closet I have stacked with rods.

Then I will breathe a little freer. Because that is the thing about forgiveness that Jesus knew. Every act of forgiveness gives you the joy, gives you the freedom, gives you the ease. And if you have been wronged, you deserve that.