Father Forgive Them
Originally posted as a FB note on November 22, 2011
Father, forgive them
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” As Jesus hung on the cross he uttered these words. I believe these words to be the most powerful, the most educating and the greatest words to live by that have ever been uttered. You don’t have to be someone who believes in Jesus as savior, personal friend, or prophet to realize what a powerful statement this is, for this matter he can be just another man who lived on this earth.
He was an innocent man, an honest man a man who cared for humanity as if each and every one was his own child, his brother or sister. Jesus was a man who fed the poor, healed the sick, sat and ate with the dregs of society, the outcasts. He loved the unloved, the lonely and paid attention to them.
By choice he was a vagabond himself with no place to lay his head. He chose to be right in the middle of those who needed him most. People would flock to him for whatever they needed. Many would push and shove to receive healing, never to return to give thanks. Families would sit around en masse waiting not just to hear what this man had to say but to see what they could receive from him or what he would be serving for lunch that day.
I can imagine how used Jesus felt. But he loved these people.
And he hung there after being unjustly accused and inhumanely beaten, hanging next to thieves who mocked him. All of his friends - those whom he loved and spent the last three years of his life sharing his most profound teachings, sharing thoughts and letting them see the person he truly was –scattered about nowhere to be seen. He hung there, with his mother looking up at his naked, disfigured, unrecognizable and broken body.
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.
Forgiveness at its purest form. He could have left it at “forgive them” but he chose to add “for they know not what they do.”
If it were me, I would have said “Father, forgive them because they've beaten me and are killing me. Father, forgive them for making my mother watch this horrific suffering that no mother should ever have to see. Father forgive my friends because they've left me at the very point where I needed them most even after all we've shared, all I've done for them. Father forgive these thieves for mocking me, I don’t deserve to be here and die next to them. Father forgive the multitudes that sat back and let this happen, I shouldn't be here. Father forgive them because I’m innocent all I wanted to do was help them!”
But Jesus in all his wisdom says “Forgive them for they know not what they do.”
We like to blend forgiveness with accusations or accusations with forgiveness. But it doesn't work that way. “He hurt me. She knows better. They did this. My children are hurting ME!” When the harsh reality is that most people who hurt us either don’t realize what they've done or have no idea to what extent that hurt has affected us. We think they should know better but really, they don’t know what they are doing.
Forgiveness without accusations. If anyone had the right to bring the list of accusations before God it would be Jesus. But he didn’t. He just forgave. These are thoughts that just came to me this morning, I must forgive like Jesus forgave, it makes ME a better person.
He was an innocent man, an honest man a man who cared for humanity as if each and every one was his own child, his brother or sister. Jesus was a man who fed the poor, healed the sick, sat and ate with the dregs of society, the outcasts. He loved the unloved, the lonely and paid attention to them.
By choice he was a vagabond himself with no place to lay his head. He chose to be right in the middle of those who needed him most. People would flock to him for whatever they needed. Many would push and shove to receive healing, never to return to give thanks. Families would sit around en masse waiting not just to hear what this man had to say but to see what they could receive from him or what he would be serving for lunch that day.
I can imagine how used Jesus felt. But he loved these people.
And he hung there after being unjustly accused and inhumanely beaten, hanging next to thieves who mocked him. All of his friends - those whom he loved and spent the last three years of his life sharing his most profound teachings, sharing thoughts and letting them see the person he truly was –scattered about nowhere to be seen. He hung there, with his mother looking up at his naked, disfigured, unrecognizable and broken body.
“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.
Forgiveness at its purest form. He could have left it at “forgive them” but he chose to add “for they know not what they do.”
If it were me, I would have said “Father, forgive them because they've beaten me and are killing me. Father, forgive them for making my mother watch this horrific suffering that no mother should ever have to see. Father forgive my friends because they've left me at the very point where I needed them most even after all we've shared, all I've done for them. Father forgive these thieves for mocking me, I don’t deserve to be here and die next to them. Father forgive the multitudes that sat back and let this happen, I shouldn't be here. Father forgive them because I’m innocent all I wanted to do was help them!”
But Jesus in all his wisdom says “Forgive them for they know not what they do.”
We like to blend forgiveness with accusations or accusations with forgiveness. But it doesn't work that way. “He hurt me. She knows better. They did this. My children are hurting ME!” When the harsh reality is that most people who hurt us either don’t realize what they've done or have no idea to what extent that hurt has affected us. We think they should know better but really, they don’t know what they are doing.
Forgiveness without accusations. If anyone had the right to bring the list of accusations before God it would be Jesus. But he didn’t. He just forgave. These are thoughts that just came to me this morning, I must forgive like Jesus forgave, it makes ME a better person.
posted by Rebecca at 4:46 PM
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