I'm not sure what to make of this, . . .

. . . so I'll leave it up to you.  Thanks to oldest son Nate for passing this one along!

Overheard

I overheard this comment from Beth Moore as our ladies were working through one of her Bible studies in the room just outside my office today - "we tend to want to withhold forgiveness from somebody until we get what we want out of them." 


Wow.  How true!  Whether it's major crimes or little errors, isn't that the way it is with us?  Admit it - forgiveness delayed isn't really for the edification of the offender, it's for our own satisfaction.  Yes, sometimes the sting of the offense is still so sharp that it will take a little time to heal enough to forgive - but that is not this.  This is delaying forgiveness so you can watch the offender squirm.  This is so you can have some control over them.  This is so you can feel that your hurt feelings are justified.  This is so you can make him beg.


And this is not how God deals with us.  In fact, when we withhold forgiveness it's like we've stuck a scarlet letter on them, big and bold for all to see.  Except God doesn't see that scarlet letter when He looks at them.  And if you try to point it out to Him, He'll just say, "Oh, that letter.  That's over here - on the cross where Jesus nailed it - and there it will stay forever."