“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” – Leviticus 19:18
How do you react to people who have hurt you or betrayed you?
Tim was so excited. He had landed the job interview he was hoping for. If he got the job, he’d be able to get a car and wouldn’t have to resort to asking for rides or borrowing his roommate’s car.
He asked his roommate, Steve. if he could give him a ride to the interview.
“Sure. I’m not doing anything that afternoon.” Steve said.
The day of the interview came. Tim put on his good dress shirt and pants. He ran through some practice questions one more time and then went into the livingroom. Steve wasn’t there. He wasn’t in his room either. “Hmmm? Maybe he left me is car?” Tim thought. He went outside and there was no car in the driveway.
An hour went by. Tim called the company to try to reschedule the interview, but they said they were making their decision today. Finally, three hours later, Steve pulled up. Tim was sitting on the porch out front. He was steaming.
Steve saw him and immediately remembered.
“Oh man! I’m sorry. I went to Taco Bell for lunch and ran into Becky and we just started talking. I totally forgot.”
Tim didn’t talk to Steve for a week. Steve tried to apologize several times, but Tim wouldn’t hear it. When Tim did speak to Steve again, it was just to tell him he had found another place to live and was moving out.
People hurt us. Sometimes it’s intentional and sometimes not. The temptation is get mad and hold on to that anger. I’ve known some people who carried around a grudge for decades.
Drinking Poison
I don’t remember who said it, but I do remember a saying that has stuck with me.
“Holding a grudge is like drinking poison to get back at someone who hurt you.”
Holding a grudge hurts you, not the other person. They may not even know.
God’s way is different. Forgive. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. You would want to be forgiven. So, forgive others. In fact, you have been forgiven. So, forgive others.
Heavenly Father,
You have shown great mercy to me, forgiving me of all my sins. Help me to show the same mercy to others.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
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