Romans 12:14-15
Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. King James Version (KJV)
Did you ever try to do this? Bless the one who is persecuting you, I mean. It is not an easy thing to do. In fact usually we do just the opposite, but, when it is done, it is a beautiful thing.
I am thinking about Betsy and Corrie ten Boom. Both were imprisoned in concentration camps for harboring Jews in their home, keeping them from death during WWII in Nazi Germany. Neither of them had to do that, they were not sought by the Germans, since they were Dutch. Yet this family took the second part of this quote to heart; ‘rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.’ They could not bear the persecution of others without easing their suffering.
While they were in the camps, Betsy was very forgiving and kind to everyone. It took Corrie a little longer, but she finally came around. Betsy died in the camp in the beginning of December in 1944. Corrie was released from Ravensbruk in late December that same year. She was not scheduled to be released, but a miraculous clerical ‘error’ worked for her good. Corrie would often say that those who forgave their captors did much better in their lives.
She was speaking to a group one time when she came face to face with one of the cruelest guards in Ravensbruk. He walked up to her after her speech on forgiveness. He asked her to forgive him! She said; “For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then.” It was a moment sealed in the heavens!
It is difficult to forgive. Yet, Corrie was able to forgive the person who treated her, and her sister so badly. Especially after her sister died in that prison, under that guard’s ‘care’. Yet when we think about the many times we ourselves have been forgiven by our great Savior, how can we not forgive an offense on this sin filled earth?
Maybe you have faced a terrible injustice or injury. Maybe you believe you will never be able to forgive the infraction. Think of Corrie, and Jesus in those times.
Here’s my question for you today; Have you forgiven everyone who did you wrong? hurt you? cheated you? treated you unfairly? If not, why not? Hasn’t Jesus forgiven YOU?
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