"SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN"

Billy was a 9 year old orphan who wanted nothing more in this cruel world than to belong to a family. He had lived in a state run orphanage for poor, destitute and abandoned children every since his mother decided Billy was a burden and left him at the orphanage's door.

Billy was an illegitimate child as a result of his mother's numerous one night stands so he never knew his father. Billy really wanted a family to adopt him.

Finally, his opportunity came and Billy was adopted right after his ninth birthday. What a birthday present with a new family and a new home. Billy left the orphanage with all his possessions which was worn and torn clothes along with a single nerf toy.

Billy's new adoptive parents were excited to have him with them and wanted Billy to feel like part of the family. They put on a neighborhood celebration dinner in Billy's honor to introduce Billy to all of the other kids in the neighborhood. They bought Billy the latest and best clothes, more toys and a brand new bicycle. They even gave Billy his own room. Quickly, Billy began to feel like all of the other kids in the neighborhood. Yes, he enjoyed the feeling of being loved and part of a family.

However, one thing seemed odd to Billy. His old shoes with holes in them were not tossed out with the rest of his worn and torn clothes. His new parents placed them on the living room mantelpiece.

It wasn't long until Billy found out why. Each and every time Billy did something wrong, his adoptive parents would take Billy to the living room and make him look at his old holey shoes while telling him "Look at all we have done for you. We took you into our home when you had nothing but look at how you have behaved."

Unfortunately, many of us act similarly by reminding someone how much they are in our debt. We dredge up the past and throw it back in their faces. We treat forgiveness as an abstract matter instead of throwing out the worn out shoes with holes when we threw out the worn and torn clothes. The Main Man upstairs teaches us to "forget the former things and do not dwell on the past." (Isaiah 43:18) In fact, God tells us not only quit looking in the past but concentrate on the future. (Philippians 13:3)

Yep, we like God forgiving our own wickedness and remembering our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12) but hit a roadblock when it comes to paying forward the same forgiveness.

None of us find it easy to forgive someone who has crushed, agonized, burned and/or wounded us one time but forgiving "seventy times seven" seems to be reserved for the Apostles and Saints. Egad, if we are Christians then we are Saints so the "seventy times seven" forgiveness is exactly what God wants us to do. Especially since God has forgiven us "seventy times seven" times seven times seven times….

God's Good Book does not contain the phrase "forgive and forget". We must understand there is "Divine Forgiveness" which proceeds from God to mankind and "human forgiveness" which we extend to each other. Hundreds of years ago in the 1600's poet Alexander Pope wrote "to err is human, to forgive is divine" so the human struggle with forgiveness is an ongoing struggle.

Next, we must understand the Biblical meaning of forgiveness is to release anger, resentment, bitterness and send it away. Forgiveness is not a feeling because if we wait until we feel like forgiving someone, we never will. We can't lose sight of the fact we have a sin laden DNA which requires daily maintenance to keep our fleshy, lewd, wanton and lecherous senses in check. Simply stated, forgiveness does not come naturally.

Since forgiveness is not in our carnal genes, we must use a trained response to forgive. First, we must deal with our inherited DNA to get even, make someone suffer like we did, pointing fingers and holding grudges. Secondly, we must learn forgiving someone who has hurt us frees us from that person's control over any part of our life or psyche. Some use the analogy to forgive is like cleaning out a wound from a cut so it will not fester, hurt and spread to the rest of the body. Thirdly, forgiving someone who has hurt you is between you and the Good Lord. You are telling God, "I'm out God, it is between You and them from this point forward."

Forgiving someone who has harmed us doesn't mean we must forget they harmed us. Nor does it mean we are condoning their harmful actions. Likewise, forgiving someone who doesn't care they hurt us or even brags about hurting us doesn't mean we get a pass in having to forgive them. Remember, seventy times seven.

Forgiving someone is being obedient to God. Not only does it please God but it allows us to regain control over our own hearts, minds and lives. Forgiveness stops the guilty party from using that same hurt to hurt us over and over and over. Forgiveness allows us to heal and begin reversing the tables on the pain and anguish. Besides, there is a reason God teaches us he will square things because vengeance is His. (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19)

Think of it this way; we hurt God time after time. We saddened Him to the point of sacrificing His own Son so we could be forgiven. Our hurt and agony will never match or compare to the heartache we caused God. Yet, if we have trusted Jesus, God forgives us and keeps forgiving us. (Hebrews 10:10)

Merciful and Forgiving Father, thank You for the patience You have in our tardiness to forgive others. Thank You for knowing how difficult it is for us and please help us to forgive those who hurt and harmed us. Every day upon awakening, show us the way to release the anger, resentment and misery so we can free ourselves and our hearts from the pain and anguish. Remind us forgiveness of others is to please You and for the betterment of our own hearts. God, keep us from shooting ourselves in the foot like Billy's adoptive parents but to bury the past and to "Go Where I Send Thee."