I don’t know about you but I certainly think that forgiveness is a hard thing to do: to be kind to someone who was mean or rude to you, and move on as if nothing happened. It definitely takes a brave person to do that.

I absolutely love the Bible. It’s my greatest source of inspiration. As I reflected to forgiveness, the story of a man called David came to mind. David was Jesse’s youngest of eight sons. While his three oldest brothers went to war, David tended his father’s sheep in Bethlehem. He also served Saul, the then King of Israel. God’s anointing was on David; but the king Saul rejected the commandment of the Lord and turned his back from following God. Eventually, Saul plotted with his servants and son to kill David; fortunately, Saul’s son, Jonathan, was David’s best friend and he revealed the plan to him. David fled for his life.

But one day, David got a chance to possibly revenge on Saul. Actually, not only once but multiple times.

David Spares Saul

7 So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” 9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” 10 And David said, “As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. 11 The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.” 12 So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the Lord had fallen upon them. (1 Samuel 26: 7-12 ESV)

Stephen Is Seized & Stoned

8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. (Acts 6: 8-15 ESV)

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 8: 54-60 ESV).

The Crucifixion

26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23: 26-43 ESV)

It is extremely heart breaking to see how much injustice is all around these days. Watching the news channels make you sick to the stomach sometime, and you often wonder why such animosity happen. If I started to number them, I would run out of space: racism, segregation, rights suppression, unfair judgement, hatred, blood shedding of innocent lives, lies, abuse, power misuse, discrimination, selfishness and many more.

Just like Paul urged Timothy in his letter: “3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3: 3-5

Now let’s ask ourselves those questions:

– Would I want everyone I know to treat me with respect?
– If someone hurt me, would I want them to apologize to me and change their behavior?
– How do I like to feel loved and cared for?
– Do I like it when people pay attention to my needs and requests?

Now, let’s take the example of David, Stephen or Jesus. If you were faced with what happened to either of them, would you be able to forgive? It’s not easy, but if we treated others the same way we want to be treated, the world would be different. When I see/face injustice, I am consoled by knowing that there is a God who sits on the throne of Justice and He is full of Love and Grace. He sees everything, and will judge every individual, alive or dead, and hold each one accountable of their actions.

If today, you were given an open opportunity to avenge someone who wronged you, would you be able to, instead,choose forgiveness?