Monday, April 30, 2012

Love Does Not Take Into Account a Wrong Suffered (1 Cor. 13:4-7)

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NASB)

Love does not take into account a wrong suffered.

In other words, love doesn’t hold a grudge. Love doesn’t seek revenge. Rather, love forgives, even when the other person hurts us deeply.

I’m reminded of the story about the man who entered an Amish school and killed several of the children before taking his own life. The Amish community lived out this attribute of love as they went to the gunman’s house and told his wife they forgave him.

Forgiveness isn’t approval of the other person’s actions. It doesn’t condone wrongdoing. It doesn’t mean we have to let a person who wronged us into our daily lives. No. Forgiveness takes the burden of anger and bitterness off of our own shoulders. It allows us to love as Christ loved—loving the sinner without loving the sin.

Does this sound too unrealistic to be true? How can I forgive someone who’s abused me or taken what’s mine—or even killed my child?

It is possible with the strength of our Lord Jesus Christ. I know. I spent twenty years in rebellion against my God because I couldn’t—or wouldn’t—forgive those who had hurt me. My father for leaving us. Three adult men for abusing me.

My unforgiveness allowed hate and anger to fill my heart. It caused me to be miserable and pushed me into depression. Finally, when I just couldn’t take life any more, I found my way back to the arms of my heavenly Father, and with His strength, I was able to forgive. Those who hurt me never asked for my forgiveness, and my doing so didn’t say what they’d done was okay. But my being able to say “I forgive you” with a sincere heart lifted the burden that had so consumed my heart.

Holding a grudge or seeking revenge does nothing but destroy your own heart. There’s a saying that describes this well: “Anger [or unforgiveness] is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

Don’t “take into account a wrong suffered.” Rather, ask Jesus to give you the strength to forgive.

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