THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS

"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven - for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little" Luke 7:47 (NIV).
Bishop John Sellwyn, was teaching in a Christian School where a boy from barbarous society of South Sea Island was a student. One day Bishop had to rebuke this boy sternly for his behaviour. The boy instantly flew into a passion and struck the Bishop with a cruel blow on the face. The Bishop said nothing, but turned and walked away quietly. The boy returned to his own Island as his behaviour went from bad to worse.

Many years later, a Missionary, working in South Sea Island was called to visit a sick man who was dying and wanted to be baptized as a Christian. It was Bishop Sellwyn's old student. When the baptismal ceremony was over the Missionary asked the dying man whether he wanted to take a new name to mark his conversion. "Call me John Sellwyn" the dying man replied, "because he taught me what Christ was like that day when I struck him"

We are often impatient to see the power of forgiveness. And we neither believe it. Therefore, we often go along with the law of this world taking revenge of sin and call it justice. It is forgiveness that changed the life of a sinner and turned him to be a good man. We are taught by our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive one another. He knew that we will be persecuted and suffer countless miseries. But, His teaching is to bless those who curse us and to forgive those who sin against us. Forgiveness is a key to live together peacefully for family, church and community. We are told to bear each other and forgive whatever grievances we may have against one another and forgive as the Lord forgave us. (Collosians 3:13 NIV)

It was the forgiveness of Stephen towards his persecutors that produced Appostle Paul who wrote most of the New Testament books for us. When he was being stoned to death Stephen prayed "Lord do not charge them with this sin." Paul was watching Stephen when all his friends were stoning him to death. This would surely have had an impact on his life and his search for the Lord revealed Himself to him on the way to Damascus. The forgiveness of Joseph straightened his brothers and make them humble. A sinful woman was made whole by forgivenss and she loved Jesus very much.