A man had two sons. One of them announced to his father that he was worth more to him dead than alive. In the end the father welcomed him back. As hard as it is to offer forgiveness when hurt, in the long run it is more damaging to us not to offer it. Unforgiveness is poison for the soul.

Without forgiveness community is impossible. Even on a good day the best that can be said of us at any given moment is that our tendency for sin is in remission ~ for now! You may not be gossiping or even thinking bad thoughts about your neighbor right now ~ but it's in you! The right provocation at the wrong time is all it takes for us to speak out of turn, throw a fit, violate an ordinance, lose our patience, retaliate in anger, doubt our faith, avoid our prayer time, stay home on Sunday, and give in to temptation.

Forgiveness is a gift. But a gift is a gift only if it is shared. So, when we refuse to share this gift with others we nullify its effect on the community ~ and on ourselves! None of us deserves to be forgiven, but all of us need to be. God looked beyond our faults and saw our needs. We must do the same for others.