[ecko_quote source="Matthew 6:14-15 "] For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses[/ecko_quote]
During my first employment in New Zealand, the owner of the business advised me never forget to say “sorry” and “thank you” in my life. Since then, these two precious words not only became my ultimate treasure but had been a tremendous help in my pilgrim progress. Also, I always remember what a young boy Sameer (late Pastor Vipul’s son) said: “Everybody does mistakes, but only good people say SORRY”. How true it is and what a great insight it brings forth!
“Please pardon me”, “Please forgive me” and “I am sorry” are all really hard phrases to come from one's heart. These words only belong to the humble. For a true child of God, these words should always come quickly and from within their heart. Such a life depicts the love of God and reveals Christ-likeness. One can make one or many mistakes, yet the most important thing is to realise and set them right again.
Saying sorry enables you to move ahead spiritually. There is nothing wrong in admitting our mistakes and wrongdoings even though sometimes it may not, after all, be our doings (Mathew 5:23-24). Saying sorry whether we are right or wrong is truly a sharp rebuke to keep Satan out. “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us” for we are not ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). Saying sorry, therefore is a type of strength which enables us to press on in our spiritual journey, going from strength to strength – victory to victory.
However, to the man of this world, to the evildoers and the wicked, saying sorry is foolishness and cowardice. Forgiveness is not and never can be found in them. As John Wilkes Booth, who shot Abraham Lincoln dead, was known to have said: “My pistol should apologise to Abraham Lincoln”. For some, saying sorry today may seem hard, impossible and foolish. Self-justification or pride has set itself hard and deep. Proud people cannot utter this precious word. Such individuals can only be heard uttering this countlessly like the rich man in hell (Luke 16:24) crying out – I am Sorry, I am truly Sorry, I really am Sorry- such deep cries or groaning are of no avail, as it would be too late.
Therefore, let us be the first, fast and quick to say “Sorry” today to one and all in any situation that calls for it and you will never regret it. It is grand, majestic and invaluable for a true child of God who is getting ready to meet our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in his second coming. Hell is fire, always burning, but even in hell, it would be a chilly day when we say “sorry” to whom so ever concern while we are here on this earth. Saying “sorry” is only confessing that “please forgive me”.
Jesus warned that we should expect forgiveness from God as we forgive those who sin against us, for God will forgive us in the same way we forgive others (Matthew 6:15). God’s nature is forgiveness (Exodus 34:6-7). If we are to be His disciples, we must follow His example. If God forgives our most relentless enemy, we can do nothing less. Jesus did not say that certain offences are unworthy of our forgiveness. We have no biblical excuse for allowing unforgiveness into our hearts.
If you choose to withhold forgiveness from someone, your worship and prayers are futile (Matthew 5:23-24). Ask God to make you aware of those dark corners in your life where you are harbouring resentment. A keen awareness of your own need for forgiveness will put the offences of others in their proper light. Ask God to make you Christlike so that, even when you are being persecuted, you can pray, “Father, forgive them.”
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