Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.Ephesians 4:32The father in this story had two sons and he obviously loved them very much. He worked hard to create an inheritance for them when he dies. The youngest son, however, did not want to wait until his father died so he asked for his inheritance early. The father gave him the inheritance and the son left. Imagine this from a father’s perspective. You have worked hard to provide the best for your sons. You have provided everything for them and instead of being grateful and respecting you, your son takes his money and leaves. He does not live out the end of your days with you. He does not make sure you are taken care of in your old age. He barely even says goodbye. He says, “You are no good to me alive, can I pretend you are dead already, take my money and never talk to you again?” Now that must have been hard to forgive. We do not know what the father’s emotions were in this moment, but he gives his son the money and then waits to see if his son would return. By the time his son comes back, he has forgiven him and is waiting for his return. He has compassion on the son and welcomes him back into the family with open arms. They even have a celebration for his return.The example of forgiveness set by the father in this parable is almost unfathomable. We all go through life with people who have hurt and betrayed us. It is difficult to forgive them, but forgiveness is one of the most important things in our walk with God. Every one of us is indebted to God because of His forgiveness in our lives. He has set the standard for us to follow. Sometimes forgiveness is easy, sometimes it takes years to fully forgive someone. But if we continue to walk the process through with God, He will teach us how to forgive those who have hurt us the most.Questions to think about:
Why do I need to forgive others?
What is the hardest part about forgiving someone?
Is there anyone who has hurt or betrayed me that I still to forgive?