Forgiveness

These are the type of lessons that are valuable but no fun while learning them.

Little David is in a sports class which we look forward to going to every week. He does so well in all of the sports and really enjoys being with all the other kids. One of the moms has a son who is a little younger than David. He is going through a stage where it's challenging for him to cooperate socially. As I was encouraging her, explaining that David had just about finished that stage not too long ago, her son hit my son. We both immediately went over to them. She scolded her boy and I was comforting mine.

I honestly praise God that day for the ability to effectively put aside my emotions of defensiveness and hypersensitivity, which I am sometimes accustomed to.  I almost innately tried to conjure up forgiveness in little David. With Autumn in tote, I got down to his level and wiped away his tears, asking him if he was alright. I explained to him that the other little boy had not yet learned how to keep his hands to himself and that his Mommy and Daddy were teaching him. I asked him if he remembered when he used to throw temper tantrums because he had not yet learned how to express his feelings through  verbal expression (or as we say, "using your words"). I asked him if he could forgive the other little boy.  I repeated everything to him just to make sure he understood. The little boy came and said sorry. They gave each other hugs and David went back to playing tee ball. The boy's mother, who by the way is the sweetest mother there, apologized profusely and I reassured her that David was okay and we're teaching him about forgiveness and this is a practical experience to apply it.

Well last week, we ran into their family at the library. I could tell by the look on David's face that those feelings he experienced that day at tee ball came back. This time the little boy tried to take a book away that David sat down on the table. His parents did a good job in making him give the book back and say sorry. Later,  I can tell that David was a little bummed out. He was playing with the toys but a bit aggressively. When I asked him what was the matter he had brought up the incident at tee ball.
So I was very grateful when I found this book moments later at the library today entitled Forgiveness.  It was just for my kids age group and gave plenty of scenarios that gave opportunities to extend forgiveness and questions that made it interactive.

My favorite part is when I got to tell them how Jesus knows exactly how they feel when their feelings are hurt because His feelings were hurt also. I reminded them of the love in his heart that He had for people and some people still hated him. I went on to remind them that they pierced his hands with nails and his side was pierced with a sword.  Then Moriah added, "They even spit on Him" and I agreed. Then I concluded by asking, "But what did He day after they did that to Him? 'Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.'

"Then Moriah added once more, "Then He said, 'It is finished.' "

~For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15

~A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense. ~Prov 19:11