My kids had a fight back in December.
Molly did not hear the exchange. She only knew that feelings had been hurt.
“Work it out,” she said.
Later, we found a letter exchange.
A great start. Here’s the reply:
Where did my children learn this grammar, this way of negotiating hurt feelings and pain? Where did they learn how to seek, grant, and extend forgiveness?
Home, sure. But anything we’ve passed on at home we learned first from Christianity.
Joy says she is sorry. She admits to having done wrong. She names the transgression. She asks for forgiveness. She expresses love.
David, likewise, admits an error. He says he is sorry. He grants forgiveness. He asks for forgiveness. He expresses love.
Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
The grammar of forgiveness is learned.
Once learned, it must be practiced.
When practiced, it is wise to remember the grounds for forgiveness, the work of Jesus himself.
