Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
—Matthew 18:23-35
by: Kennedy Ochs.
Forgiveness is not just saying, “I forgive you.” It requires work to move past actions that have wronged us. It forces us to look past our own feelings of betrayal or hurt to see the humanity of the perpetrator. Often, forgiveness means that we show mercy over and over, even when it is not fair and feels unjust. And that is because forgiveness often is not just. It is the act of giving up justice in the interest of mercy. Being able to forgive means that we are able to see that punishment is not always what will bring out another’s God-given potential. We recognize that God has forgiven us when we do not deserve it and have the ability to pass on that forgiveness.