The Mark – 23, Forgive or Die
Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 01:35PM The commands of Jesus are the Mark, the target for the perfect life. To aim for and to hit the Mark is to conform to the image and likeness of God. To ignore, neglect, or miss the Mark is to sin. The commands provide stepping stones through earthly life, upon which the child of God survives tempests and deflects the boomeranging darts of pride. Adhering to the Mark aspiring immortals gain victory.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
Matthew 6:14
Imagine a ball with needles protruding all around it.
Now imagine that you are walking along a path in the woods, enjoying the crisp clean air of a snowy winter’s day when suddenly someone lobs that weapon at you. It cuts you in several places and lands in your hands. You look up to see who hurt you. How do you react?
- Throw the sharp ball right back and aim for the face.
- Hold onto the ball and cry very loud to get sympathy, while pointing at the offensive assailant.
- Drop the ball, look up at the assailant, smile, and keep on walking.
Every time you refuse to aim for the mark, to obey the commands of Jesus, to be kind, generous, pure of heart, make peace, etcetera you are throwing that poison ball at the heavenly Father. You expect Him to drop the ball, smile at you and keep on walking.
The Mark of God-likeness requires us likewise to drop all deadly weapons that hit us and keep on walking. Don’t retaliate, don’t cry and blame, don’t look back even for a second.
To forgive means to let it go, with purpose and with great abandon. No one on the path to immortality brings weapons along. Smile and keep on walking toward the light.
Jesus, Snowy, forgive, forgiveness, weapons in Christianity, The Mark