I see you tried to steal my dog, would you like some tea?
So in case you did not know my day job is being a Youth Director, in essence I have the awesome privilege of mentoring and instructing a bunch of young people on how awesome Jesus is and also I get to go to Six Flags while on work time, its a pretty awesome gig. Last Wednesday night we had our discussion night, we all sat around in our cafe and began talking about big words that Christian use that in reality we have no idea what they mean. One of the words they all agree did not understand was "forgiveness". Crazy huh? Forgiveness, we all know what that means right?....right?
So i proceeded to explain what forgiveness means as it applies from us towards other people. I told them that we are to have forgiveness the way Jesus has forgiveness. This means that our sins are not just forgiven but we are given an entire new identity. In other words, as I put it " if someone steals your Jordan's you not only forgive them, but you trust them in your closet." I received the same answer from everyone, "that is easier said than done" and I agree. But nonetheless this is what we must do, for Christ not only forgave my sins, but he also trusted me completely with his love and power, and I, well I am not looked at as a ex-sinner but as a saint that never committed a sin.
So we all left that night with a new revelation on forgiveness and went on with our lives, little did I know that I was going to confirm that revelation the very next day. I had just finished a long day at work, I was heading home ready to see my awesome wife and my beloved black Labrador (yes, the tactical and best version of the Labradors). I pull up to my drive way and realized that the usual excited bark that greets me was not there, I figured he would be inside in his crate. I proceed to go inside and wake up my wife from her nap, I ask her where Suko was, to which she replies with "he is tied up outside". I dropped everything and headed outside to look for him. To my surprise he had being unclipped and taken away.
I immediately began looking for clues, called the police, and then began interviewing my neighbors to see if they had seen anything, I got my first clue from my neighbor to the right when he told me that he had seen a skinny woman walking out of my yard with a young black lab that she was not in control off, He said that she claimed that it was her dog and she was taking it for a walk. I took her description, asked a couple more neighbors if they had seen anything, then jumped in to my CR-V and began driving around the neighborhood in search for the culprit, she was on foot so she couldn't be too far. While driving around and praying the Holy Ghost began to calm me down (politely put, I was raging). He started to remind me of His grace, and the power I have to forgive like He forgives. Long story short, the Holy Ghost asked me to do two things, to command that lady to return my dog and to forgive her the second I see her. I drove back to my house, pulled into the driveway, and what do you know, lady is in my back yard talking with my wife.
I got out of the car and walked towards the weeping woman, she could not stop saying how sorry she was, and that she never intended to hurt him , she just thought that he was very cute and happy and wanted to take him on a walk. I told her it was OK, she complained about some agonizing pain in her tooth, I offered to pray for her and she accepted. At that moment something incredible happened, I literally had no grudge or anger for that woman, I only had compassion.
She had taken my property, not just that, my dog, I LOVE MY DOG!!, and while I expected to want to press charges and see that she never came near my dog again, I found myself offering her tea and a place to cool off instead. We sat in my kitchen for a good while, had some tea, my wife made her a salt gargle for her tooth and ministered to her. Even though she knew of Christ many of the things I said about his love and grace kept leaving her with her mouth literally wide open. She heard things about compassion that I believe she had never heard before. My wife gave her some of her clothes and that woman left our home blessed.
As for me, I realized that day that what I had taught that Wednesday was not only true, but that I was fully capable to forgive with Christ's forgiveness and to love with Christ's love. As Men we must stop trying to be holy people that pursue supposed justice and simply allow Christ to be Holy through us, you will be amazed what you can accomplish.
What are your experiences showing Christ's love and forgiveness? leave it on the comments.
So i proceeded to explain what forgiveness means as it applies from us towards other people. I told them that we are to have forgiveness the way Jesus has forgiveness. This means that our sins are not just forgiven but we are given an entire new identity. In other words, as I put it " if someone steals your Jordan's you not only forgive them, but you trust them in your closet." I received the same answer from everyone, "that is easier said than done" and I agree. But nonetheless this is what we must do, for Christ not only forgave my sins, but he also trusted me completely with his love and power, and I, well I am not looked at as a ex-sinner but as a saint that never committed a sin.
So we all left that night with a new revelation on forgiveness and went on with our lives, little did I know that I was going to confirm that revelation the very next day. I had just finished a long day at work, I was heading home ready to see my awesome wife and my beloved black Labrador (yes, the tactical and best version of the Labradors). I pull up to my drive way and realized that the usual excited bark that greets me was not there, I figured he would be inside in his crate. I proceed to go inside and wake up my wife from her nap, I ask her where Suko was, to which she replies with "he is tied up outside". I dropped everything and headed outside to look for him. To my surprise he had being unclipped and taken away.
I immediately began looking for clues, called the police, and then began interviewing my neighbors to see if they had seen anything, I got my first clue from my neighbor to the right when he told me that he had seen a skinny woman walking out of my yard with a young black lab that she was not in control off, He said that she claimed that it was her dog and she was taking it for a walk. I took her description, asked a couple more neighbors if they had seen anything, then jumped in to my CR-V and began driving around the neighborhood in search for the culprit, she was on foot so she couldn't be too far. While driving around and praying the Holy Ghost began to calm me down (politely put, I was raging). He started to remind me of His grace, and the power I have to forgive like He forgives. Long story short, the Holy Ghost asked me to do two things, to command that lady to return my dog and to forgive her the second I see her. I drove back to my house, pulled into the driveway, and what do you know, lady is in my back yard talking with my wife.
I got out of the car and walked towards the weeping woman, she could not stop saying how sorry she was, and that she never intended to hurt him , she just thought that he was very cute and happy and wanted to take him on a walk. I told her it was OK, she complained about some agonizing pain in her tooth, I offered to pray for her and she accepted. At that moment something incredible happened, I literally had no grudge or anger for that woman, I only had compassion.
She had taken my property, not just that, my dog, I LOVE MY DOG!!, and while I expected to want to press charges and see that she never came near my dog again, I found myself offering her tea and a place to cool off instead. We sat in my kitchen for a good while, had some tea, my wife made her a salt gargle for her tooth and ministered to her. Even though she knew of Christ many of the things I said about his love and grace kept leaving her with her mouth literally wide open. She heard things about compassion that I believe she had never heard before. My wife gave her some of her clothes and that woman left our home blessed.
As for me, I realized that day that what I had taught that Wednesday was not only true, but that I was fully capable to forgive with Christ's forgiveness and to love with Christ's love. As Men we must stop trying to be holy people that pursue supposed justice and simply allow Christ to be Holy through us, you will be amazed what you can accomplish.
What are your experiences showing Christ's love and forgiveness? leave it on the comments.
suko with one of his favorite toys.
Comments
Post a Comment