A tornado is a destructive, rapidly spinning column of air. I’ve seen firsthand the aftermath of destroyed homes, businesses, and lives. There are many such “tornados” in our world, destructive spirals of hate, debt, and war. These spirals intensify through retribution and vengeance. Hate begets hate. Debt births more debt. War breeds more war. A never-ending cycle – until Jesus steps into the picture.
Our next step in The Jesus Way is like a footnote. A quick clarification or explanation of a previous phrase. But it is the beginning of a new, more powerful spiral that is capable of neutralizing all others.
In the Lord’s Pray, which we touched on in a previous article, there is this line, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12, CSB) After the amen, Jesus adds, “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.” (Matthew 6:14–15, CSB) The phrasing is unique and perhaps puzzling, but it is kind of mid-spiral.
Forgiveness begins with God. We are first forgiven in Christ. “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:32, CSB) If we respond to God’s forgiveness by forgiving others, then the forgiveness spiral continues. But if we do not forgive others, then the spiral falters. In the same way that hate begets hate, forgiving is born out of forgiveness. Jesus emphasized this more fully in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35).
What I want to highlight today is how forgiveness neutralizes the other destructive spirals in our life. I don’t think it takes much imagination to see how forgiveness stops those other tornados from continuing. It’s hard for hate to spread when it is responded to in love and forgiveness instead of more hate.
But Jesus left the choice up to us. He started the cycle by forgiving us; what we do with it will determine what happens next. Will we forgive others or withhold forgiveness? If we withhold forgiveness, then God’s forgiveness for our sins effectively becomes null and void. That’s a hard concept to accept, but Jesus was clear.
It all comes down to how we view our sin and its forgiveness. Do we understand the enormity of the moral debt we owed God because of our sins? Do we have an inkling about the depth of His forgiveness? If we do, then forgiving others is almost automatic. But if we minimize our own sins and magnify the sins of others, then forgiveness seems like an impossible mountain to climb.
When we forgive in the face of hate and pain, and injustice, we prevent the spiral from continuing. Whether the other person responds in kind is not our concern. We can’t control the responses of others. But by forgiving others, we dive even more deeply into our own forgiveness in Christ.
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