Daily Bread

Forgiveness Yields a Harvest

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For those of you who like myself are gardeners you know that Tulips, Daffodils and other tuberous flowers are never planted in the Spring. Instead we go out to dig up some corner of the garden at the end of October. At that time there are no blossoms whatsoever in the flowerbeds, but the earth is still slightly warm from the summer’s heat and it offers the perfect place for bulbs to make a home. Autumn rains then soften the bulb and while no one is watching it sends out tiny roots into the surrounding soil. Then, Winter’s wind and cold freeze the ground solid. The tiny tendrils are locked in an icy embrace for four to five months. It would appear to the unknowing observer that there is no hope for beauty or blossom. Yet all the while, under the surface God does His mysterious work. We look out the window one early April morning suddenly the bulbs amaze us with their brilliant yellows, whites and reds.

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.  Luke 23:3

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In the same way as the tulips and daffodils were planted so our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ gave forgiveness in the face of cold hatred, scorning and mocking. He freely forgave with no apparent hope of anyone accepting the pardon He gave. He was planted in the ground and then not only on the third day when He arose but on every day when His forgiveness blossoms in a heart His act of love continues to yield an abundant harvest!

 

 

 

Forgiveness is an Investment

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“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’  So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’  And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.

Matthew 18:28-30

Many years ago I heard an interview on Radio Bible. The questioning went something like this,

Host: To what do you attribute your business success?”

Business man “Good decisions”“

Host “And how did you learn to make good decisions?”

Businessman “Bad decisions!”

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In our personal relationships with others we are always making decisions. We may decide to trust or to doubt. We may choose to forgive or hold a grudge. Each decision is an investment (or lack thereof) in the life of someone else. You might look at the king’s choice to forgive in the parable which Jesus told as a bad business decision. He could have legally sold this dishonest servant into slavery to recover some of his loss or he could have had him thrown in jail. But instead of richly deserved punishment, this king decided to invest mercy in his servant’s life.

Yet as in this man’s story it appears that the king had made a terrible choice. Instead of generating a return of gratitude in his servant’s heart, this forgiven man went immediately out and acted mercilessly with others. “What a waste! What an awful decision!” you might say about the king’s investment. You might also add, “So he should never do that again!”

But mercy is not like a worldly investment. Jesus parable shows how God forgives each of us. We are exactly like the dishonest thieving servant. We have cheated and stolen and yet God has for two thousand years continued to invest forgiveness in us. How often we must have grieved God’s heart when we failed entirely in our response to his mercy! Is there someone today in whom we can begin to invest even a tiny part of the forgiveness God has given us?

People are a Loan Not a Gift

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img_5240The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,                                                                                        The world and those who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

This week of my cousin Tom passed away. (He is the one peeking over my God’s mother’s shoulder) Tom was a gentle man who we thought would somehow always be there. He and I were born the same year, had been on summer vacations, horse back riding and even briefly played in the same band.together. It seemed my quiet cousin would always be there and yet he is suddenly gone.

How often we say things such as, “She is one of God’s greatest gifts to me! or What a gift God gave us with this son or daughter!” But in reality none of those we love so dearly belong to us. The time we spend here on earth together is just a short term loan.God holds the appointed time the loan will be called in, in His hands. They are not ours but how we treat those God has trusted into our care changes us for eternity.

Sometimes people are like little birds singing outside our windows. We may throw them a few crumbs but we don’t realize the value of their songs until the day they are silent. People are a loan. We do not possess someone else’s life, they belong first to God. How I miss Tommy today. I cannot go back to say or do something more for Tom but his sudden absence stirs something in my heart to treat with more earnest and sincere love those who remain behind.