This past week we’ve had family with young kids visiting. It’s been a lot of fun. I love their enthusiasm about little things – the park, drinking fountains, and hunting SPQR’s have been big hits. The colosseum and pantheon were just alright. They’ve walked a lot without too much complaining. They’ve eaten pizza and gelato. Along the way they’ve had a normal amount of sibling squabbles, which often involve a shouted, “Fine! SORRY!” followed by stomping feet.
It brings back a lot of memories from when my kids were much younger and their wants clashed with each other more often. But somehow I’m also reminded of Jesus teaching us to pray. One translation puts it like this: “Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]” (Matthew 6:12 AMP).
When Jesus says “as we have forgiven”, He’s talking about one thing in relation to the other, in a like manner. We’re to extend forgiveness to others in the same way that we’ve been forgiven (Matthew 7:2, Matthew 18:35, James 2:13). We’re asking the Lord to forgive our sin against Him the same way that we treated those who approached us seeking forgiveness.
More often than I care to admit – and probably even more often than I notice – I’m a lot like a 5-year-old forgiver. “Jesus, you want me to forgive them? Fine!” possibly with some stomping and sulking thrown in for emphasis. I might accept their apology, but I haven’t let go of the wrong or the resentment. But do I want Jesus to respond to me in that way when I come to Him seeking forgiveness? Do I want Him to shout “Fine!” and stomp away? Or to accept my apologies and then treat me with disdain, disrespect or disinterest?
The incredible love of Jesus, the vastness of His grace, and the magnitude of His mercy blow me away every time. On my best days, my “sorry’s” aren’t really good enough to cover the offense I’ve committed against Him. And instead of keeping me at arm’s length or regarding me with a degree of caution, Jesus welcomes me into His embrace. He does all the work of restoring the relationship. He accepts my sorrow, but more than that, He accepts me.
“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing'” (Luke 23:33-34). He didn’t say zap them, get back at them, or forget about them. He asked the Father to forgive. Jesus truly is the Friend of sinners.
