God forgives us, and wants us to forgive others
December 17, 2009 (Thursday)
Jesus said a lot about forgiveness. In fact there is much in the Bible about it. How sad that the first pair of brothers, Cain and Abel, did not get along and Cain killed his brother, Abel. That would be the ultimate expression of sibling rivalry.
There were two brothers later on who were so different from each other that they seemingly had very little in common. Their names were Jacob and Esau. Actually, they were twins, but Esau was born just ahead of Jacob, so the birthright of the oldest son belonged to him. With the help of his mother, Jacob tricked his father into giving him the blessing of the birthright. Then Jacob fled the country. Years later he returned, fearful for his life because of what he had done to Esau. But when the two met, Esau forgave all, and they embraced. Someone has said that the most beautiful sight Jacob ever saw was the face of his brother, because it was “the face of forgiveness.”
Jesus was fond of teaching by telling stories. He told the story of a rebellious son who took his inheritance early, left home and wasted it all in sinful living. Years later, he returned home with the intention of being a hired servant of his father. But when his father saw him coming, he ran to him, hugged him, wept aloud, and made a great feast, inviting family and friends, to honor the prodigal who had come back home. He said, “This my son was lost and is now found, was dead and is alive again.” The repentant son was forgiven.
The same story, however, tells about his older brother, who became angry with his father for forgiving his brother and making a place for him once again within the family. He represents the choice we all have to forgive or not to forgive. Plainly, the father in the story is God, and the prodigal is I (or you). God is Love. He forgives. He wants us to do the same.