Forgiveness: we cannot go on without it (part 1 of 3)

Last year an article about Bishop John Kabango Rucyahana from Rwanda in east-central Africa appeared in the The Washington Times.  In 1994 the Rwandan Hutu government initiated a killing spree and within three months, approximately 800,000 Tutsi’s were murdered by their neighbors, the Hutus.  Into the midst of this tragedy, Bishop Rucyahana, a Tutsi, brings a message of God’s forgiveness to imprisoned Hutus.

It happens a lot - this brother against brother fighting.  For example, the founding of the U.S. follows the same story line.  Europeans forced their way from one side of the country to the other.  Their path, while sometimes peaceful, was more often the opposite.  Indian tribes felt the impact and paid for it dearly.

A natural response to this situation could be hatred.  Hatred is a hard thing.  It is ugly and demands action.  Hatred killed Jesus.  Although mankind’s sin was the cause of Jesus’ death, hatred was the tool.  So the question is this.  Can those who were hurt forgive and excuse the offense?  Can any of us give pardons to those that hurt us the most?  Can we forgive unfaithful spouses?  Wayward children?  Bigoted teachers? Mistaken leaders? 

It seems a tall order but the consequences of unforgiveness are huge.  We’ve all met people consumed with bitterness and anger.  Some try dampening their pain with drugs, alcohol or violence.  But their lives are in ruins because they could never forgive.

Bishop Rucyahana’s words to the Hutu’s gives us a biblical example of God’s forgiveness.  “Remember Jesus on the cross.  The nails were still in His hands.  He called out, ‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they are doing.’  If we are Christians, we don’t wait for the pain to go away before we forgive.  Forgiveness is hard, yet the cost of the cross is not meant to be easy.”

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)