“Except ye turn and become as little children. . .” (Matthew 18:3) Yes, Jesus held the “smallest of us” as an example all of us as adults should be. One of the first attributes of children that comes to my mind is how tenderhearted and forgiving they are. Children can get mad one minute and make up and be best friends the next. They accept apologies. They don’t hold grudges. Are we guilty of such?
In the Sermon on the mount, recorded in Matthew 6:12, Jesus gave us an example of how to pray, and He included that we should “forgive us our debts, as we forgive others our debtors.” This puts a condition on it. If we want to be forgiven – then, we must be willing to forgive. We should forgive others as fast as we expect God to forgive us! For “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 6:9) Did you notice that He doesn’t do His part until we do ours? It takes a strong person to say that they’re sorry, but we should forgive others, not necessarily because they deserve it, but because we deserve peace. I don’t believe that we’ll go to heaven if we are unwilling to forgive others. I’m not willing to let __________ keep me out of heaven! Forgiveness – it’s an ability that will set you free.
As little children, we should be quick to forgive those who have wronged us. We should “be ye kind, one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32) Simply blessed, Courtney