“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
Christianity is more than a mere list of dos and don’ts. God does have boundaries, and we do reap the consequences of our actions here on earth. But when we become wrathful, angry, bitter, and slanderous in how we respond to the mote in our brother’s eye, we need to get the beam out of our own, because those are the works of the flesh and as poisonous to us as what we are attempting to correct in others–in some cases, more so even.
Let our kindness and tenderness be truthful, directed towards encouraging one another to godliness but, kind and tender we must be if we want to be like Jesus–and it goes without saying we have to forgive. God forgives when we repent and turn from our sorrow, so we must not hold past sins God has forgiven against our brothers and sisters, either–and bitterness and anger must against all offenses must be put off (into Christ’s hands in prayer) hence what others mean when they say you can forgive but still protect yourself and not reconcile with someone who is still a threat to you. Because that “forgiveness” is only letting go of the anger and bitterness.
Being on fire for God gets a lot of mileage, but we should seek to have more in common with a bubbly cold spring that consistently gushes forth sweet and refreshing than a hot, steamy geyser that scalds anyone who happens to be standing too close when it erupts.
Lord, search our hearts. If there be any hidden anger, bitterness, or an unforgiving attitude in our way today, reveal it to us, and strengthen us and grant us the will to share that pain honestly with you and release the offense into your just hands. Show us the path in which you would have us walk and grant us the courage to take those steps with you. Pour into our hearts today grace, love, and kindness that overflows and gushes onto others so we might build up one another and not tear down your work. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
