7 Memory Verses to Change a Victim to a Victor, Part 5—Luke 11:4
May 28, 2007
Dear Friends,
The fifth of our seven verses to change a victim into a victor concerns forgiveness.
Principle #5 – “Forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.” (Luke 11:4)
I want you to imagine a book in which we write down every wrong that has been done to us. Each time someone does or says something that displeases us, we write it down in the book. As we fill one page, we add another. Some of the things we write aren’t really fair, but we write them down anyway in pencil thinking that some day they may be erased. Some of the things we write down are really deserved and we write those things in ink. Over time, our book of trespasses gets larger and larger. It starts to look like an unabridged dictionary. It is heavy and cumbersome to the extent that it starts to affect what we do and don’t do. It’s hard to do much while carrying around a huge book. When we have a decision before us, we often consult the book. Did someone do something like this before? How did it turn out? We can’t sleep sometimes because we have this big book in bed with us. We spend countless hours reading and rereading the offenses that have caused us pain. It starts to affect our relationships with people. It is hard to be friends with someone who always has their nose stuck in a book like this.
While the above might sound a little ridiculous, is it any less ridiculous for us to carry around all of those trespasses mentally in our internal book of trespasses? It has the same effect spiritually and mentally which, in turn, affects us physically. It changes the way we think. It puts a damper on our relationships with others; even those who haven’t done a thing to us. It can negatively affect our sleep. It can negatively affect our health. The worst thing is that is affects our relationship with our heavenly Father who forgives us as we forgive. Can there be any good reason to continue to hold onto our mental book of trespasses?
Don’t we believe that God is keeping that book and is doing a much better and more accurate job than we will ever do? “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Rom. 12:19) If we let God do His job, we can then have more time to focus on doing our job. Of the two jobs – God’s job and our job, one of them is going to be done perfectly and one is going to be done imperfectly. Maybe we should focus more on the job that is going to be done imperfectly rather than trying to duplicate the one that will be done perfectly. In the end, holding on to our own personal book of trespasses just hurts us.
As we have said before, this is not to condone apathy or to adopt an “anything goes” mentality. It is simply easier, more effective and more Biblical to deal with people in love than in bitterness, anger and hurt. As the Scripture says, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (Jas 1:20)
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. (Ps. 86:5)
Have a great week,
Kyle Tucker
