Forgive The Michael Vicks and Big Ben's

Ever find someone who is difficult to forgive? I mean someone who has either hurt you or someone else that is absolutely regugnant to you? Two people I have heard a lot about this past football season are Ben Roethlesberger and Michael Vick. Are they really worth forgiving? Big Ben, of the Pittsburg Steelers was accussed of sexual abuse and Michael Vick was guilty of running a dog-fighting ring. Both of these types of behaviors are abhorrent and should arouse anger and cries for justice.

However, they have seemingly cried out for forgiveness. Do we give it to them? And if we do, are we suggesting that they get a free pass from their behaviors? Just because someone asks for forgiveness are we, as Christians, obliged to give it to them. Absolutely!

In the book of 2 Kings chapter 21 in the Bible, it is recorded that a king named Mannasseh did evil in God's eyes. He had rejected God by worshipping other false gods, he shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end, and he even sacrificed his own son in fire. This makes Big Ben and Michael Vick's sins look like little sins. God said that Manasseh's sins were detestable to God. So God humbled Mannaseh and brought such disaster upon Mannasseh that anyone who hears it, their ears will tingle.

Then in the book of 2 Chronicles chapter 33,verse 12, the Bible records that Mannasseh, in his distress sought the favor of the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fahters. Notice God's response. Verse 13 records that God was MOVED by Manasseh's prayer and thus brought Mannasseh back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom.

What!?!? God was "moved" by the prayers of THIS man?! What does this say about God? What are the implications for us?

I believe this tells us that God has a heart that will enact justice and that God's heart is ready to move towards mercy and forgiveness in response to true humility. I believe this means we are to do the same, if we call ourselves followers of Jesus. Not only because we profess to be followers of Jesus, but also because our hearts are filled with the same capacity for evil as that of king Mannasseh, Big Ben and Michael Vick. We are to forgive because we have been forgiven to the same extent as Mannasseh and because we possess the same heart of God if His Spirit lives within us.

So can you and I still forgive that person who is so repugnant to us? Jesus offers forgiveness to us and he tells us that to whom much is given, much is required.

Thanks Jesus for my forgiveness.

Beams Away!