Love and Forgiveness

Peter Ustinov - “Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.”

I think we believe that people should never hurt us. Especially those who say they love us. However, they are fallen and sinful. Everyday. Not just when they do something you don’t like, but every single day every person is sinful. Each of us needs constant forgiveness. And, each of us needs to constantly be forgiving.

Why do we hold people to a list of rules that is impossible to keep? Do we want others to treat us the same way? I don’t. I would love if all people looked on me with forgiveness and grace b/c I am messy!

When we read Scripture and truly look at who Christ is, we see constant love and forgiveness. He didn't surround himself with those who claimed to know so much about religion, but with imperfect people. He loved and forgave the tax-collectors, the prostitutes, the woman at the well who had been married multiple times, the doubters, the smelly fishermen, the people society would consider the "lowest of the low". He is love.

Its impossible for us to love others in our own power because we are sinful and fallen just as they are. However, we can pray and ask God to let His love shine through us as and "endless act of forgiveness". Can you imagine if every believer would offer ENDLESS acts of forgiveness??? Oh, the glory that God would receive!!! The people that would actually desire to know Him!

My encouragement is that all of us would prayerfully ask the Lord for His love to reign in our lives. To love the unlovable. To forgive those that have hurt us. To portray Christ who loved, forgave and saved us!  The more we choose to be like Christ, the more compassion we will have for others and, hopefully, it will become "habit".