The Surprise of Forgiveness

Moses was an advocate for mercy for Miriam. He asked God to heal her, even though she had turned against him. Moses could have supported Miriam’s punishment and rightfully have insisted on “eye for eye” (Exodus 21:24). However, having been a murderer and fugitive himself (see Exodus 2:11–15), he had personally experienced the power of God’s grace and forgiveness.

Our natural tendency is to treat others the way they treat us. We are kind to the kind and often unloving to the unloving. However, Jesus’ words, thousands of years after this event, still provide the higher ground for us: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–44).

When we are not treated well, we need to ask God to give us the attitude of Moses, who had compassion on the hurts of one who had not treated him well. This type of attitude releases us from a life of keeping emotional score cards and insisting that everything be fair and leads to a life of love, grace, freedom and forgiveness.

Forgiveness Brings Freedom

A recurring theme in Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple is forgiveness. He asks God to hear the prayers of the people and forgive their sins. This emphasis on forgiveness is a key element in all our relationships.

To forgive is very difficult. It means letting go of something that someone “owes” us. But forgiveness brings freedom from the past; it brings freedom from anyone who has hurt us. To forgive means to write it off. Let it go. Tear up the account. It is to render the account canceled. “[God] forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13–14). He asks us to forgive others in the same way that he has forgiven us (see Matthew 18:21–35).

To forgive means we will never get from that person what was owed us. What is done is done and can’t be undone. But the result of forgiveness is freedom from that reality and the chance to have a future unfettered by resentment and grudges from the past. It takes the power away from others, and we get our lives back. It is an arrangement that cannot be matched.