In the gospel of Luke Chapter 6, Jesus begins a series of teachings, for those who would follow him. These teachings are about our relationships with each other. Luke’s readings throughout the Bible speak repeatedly of the times that Jesus forgave those who offended Him. We are told “Forgive and you shall be forgiven.” This is quite a challenge. According to the Bible, forgiveness is understood as God’s promise not to count our sins against us. Through forgiveness we learn to become better Christians, better people and closer to God’s glory. It also means that we shall see the forgiver as an image bearer of God, impossible as that may seem. Jesus forgave His persecutors, even though they did not apologize and even though they did not deserve to be forgiven. We are encouraged to forgive by God’s word and through our relationship with Him. In reading the gospel Jesus also asks us to “Be merciful even as your Father is merciful.” Mercy and forgiveness are not just for the other person; they are for us also. They bring us to the peace of a calm heart and the knowledge that nobody can steal our deepest joy from us. In Mark 11: 15-17: Jesus flipped over tables in the temple and called for justice, but He also forgave the unforgivable. If we are to follow Jesus, we likewise can and must do both.
