It was years ago, yet so vivid in my memory. I was a fresh new mama of one incredibly adorable toddler and a second child on the way. We frequented the library for their story hour on a Wednesday morning at that precious 10-10:30 range before children became exhausted and ready for naptime. We lingered after story time my sweet first born and a few other mamas and their children.
Pow! Toy to the head! It happened so quick and I knew my toddler had an aggressive streak in her–it’s not what you think. This time, someone hit her.
She may have been born fierce but I didn’t want my child to retaliate or act out in violence. You see, she was playing with some toys and a boy was wanting to play with the same toys and took said toy and clock her on the head. She didn’t cry. When it happened in the blink of the eye, I went to hold her and check in. I wasn’t afraid of her being hurt, I was worried she wanted to fight back! I knelt down beside her and the mom of the boy came over with him. I coached my daughter asking, “Do you forgive him?” The other moms gasped! “Forgive?!” I heard one mom gawk! I continued coaching my sweet almost two year old, yes… do you forgive him because he hurt you, he did something wrong. When someone does something wrong you choose to forgive or not. Do you forgive him?”
“I fo-gib ju” in her todder-ease talk.
The mama of the offender sighed relief and apologized. She thanked us. We reconciled. No hard feelings.
I chose before having this precious child that our values would be as such. Love is the way. Forgiveness must be frequent. We use these sentences frequently and exercise letting go one’s “crimes” or wrongs and forgiving thereby extending grace or pardon. Reconciliation is the desired result and choosing better is the goal each time.
Friend, the way of forgiveness must be frequent and we must go to it quickly. Forgiveness in our own strength though is wishing for a bridge alone BUT forgiveness as the steps we take because of great forgiveness for us through the way of the cross of Jesus, huge! I consider it joy to know all sins and offenses have been pardoned and punished because Jesus came to earth, died on the cross and rose. Worthy… He is worthy.
This Christmas, may forgiveness be more than a wish. May it be our heart’s desire. May forgiveness be experienced truly by seeing Christmas for the opening of the greatest story to be told…
God the Son left his throne of glory to be born of a virgin; she took on this great honor. He took on the hardest life… laying aside perfect divinity to suffer as a man, serve and to give his life as a ransom for me, be the perfect offering and atonement for sins not his. Beaten and mocked he died, willingly so he could take upon himself the sins of humanity.
Hebrews Chapter 10 "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a] 8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: 16 “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”[b] 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”[c] 18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. *Whom will you forgive today? *Have you received this "forgiveness of sins" and the gift of life in Jesus? Are you curious? I'd love to share! For now, a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.... May we be frequent forgivers opening our hearts to love large and well!
Abundant Mommyhood 