On my office wall is a blue sticky note with (what looks like) hieroglyphics written by my own pen. My chicken scratch quotes the Swiss theologian Karl Barth who said, “Every day we ought to begin, we may begin with the confession, ‘I believe in the forgiveness of sins.’” Forgiveness is powerful. Jesus must have had this in mind when he said to his disciples, “What you bind on earth is bound in heaven; what you release on earth is released in heaven.” Who knew we had such power?
“So, what was that all about?” Imagine Stephen and the apostle Paul running into each other for the first time in heaven. What was that like? Saul was there, holding the coats of the stone throwers when Stephen was martyred. He gave his tacit approval and made no effort to protect Stephen’s life, though his mentor Gamaliel had said, “Be careful not to fight against God.” Stephen might have asked Paul, or Saul of Tarsus, “So, what was that all about?” Of course, in heaven we know as we are known. So maybe no question was asked.
Saul saw what happened that day. He saw Stephen’s face like the face of an angel. Without question, he heard the martyr’s prayer asking the Father to forgive Saul and the others for murdering Stephen. I wonder if he could see Jesus in Stephen’s eyes as he lifted them up to heaven while he was taking his last breath. All of this did not stop Saul from continuing his rampage against the church. At least not yet. Saul would have to meet Jesus himself. But the seed was planted.
Not everyone we forgive understands at the time. This may prompt us to withhold forgiveness as we resist giving car keys to a ten-year-old. What business has our attacker with our forgiveness? On the other hand, we never know what God will do with that planted seed. Saul, later known as Paul became the great apostle to the Gentiles. Stephen’s prayer for forgiveness may have haunted Saul. Perhaps he never forgot it.
I shared in a recent sermon about watching my mentor and friend Russell Dilday offer forgiveness to the ones who maligned him, fired him, and treated him like a criminal. Ever after I saw him do that, I have been unable to harbor hatred in my heart toward those who have hurt me. The work of the Spirit within me to forgive others has surprised me at times. I would not have thought it possible.
If you are pondering whether to offer forgiveness to one who has wronged you, ponder no more. Just forgive. Our own experience of God’s forgiveness leaves us no other choice. Remember when we forgive, we are not approving the bad behavior, but releasing the perpetrator and ourselves from the poison of holding a grudge. Like a balloon on a windy day, we never know when that forgiveness may land in the heart of the hearer. For their sake, forgive them. For your own sake, forgive them. For God’s sake, forgive. Watch God work.
