A Reason to Forgive
by Charles R. Swindoll
When wrong has been done against another person, there are only two possibilities of blame. But whether we are responsible for the offense or we are the recipients of it, the first move is always ours.
The true servant doesn't keep score. The general principle is set forth in Ephesians 4:31–32, which says:
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
That's a beautiful summation of the whole subject of forgiveness. It describes how to live with a clear conscience and thus be free to serve.
And observe the reminder—you forgive others "as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
Reprinted by permission. Day by Day, Charles Swindoll, July 2005, Thomas Nelson, inc., Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Purchase "Day by Day" here.