At church we are currently using the Heartlines Movie series that is on SABC as a preaching series. The topic this week is "Forgiveness". Apart from the fact that I have to preach about it so therefore apply my mind (oh yes and ask for the Spirit's guidance), it has got me to thinking. Perhaps the reason there is so much hate and anxiety in this world is because we just cannot learn to forgive. I know that when a Taxi cuts me off, I immediately feel angry and often will not drop it; I feel the need for vindication. Now that seems like a simple issue and you don't see me going around bombing Taxis. But that is just it; my reaction is merely a small time version of what is happening in the middle east (I'm not trying to simplify the issue here). Is our need for vindication against small wrong-doings not the beginning of bigger things? The initial problem is often clouded by our need for revenge; we have allowed our emotions to rule. Look at the conflict in Ireland...do you really think that the Catholics and Protestants are fighting over Theology, heck most of them are not even practicing Christians. Anyway, that's just me doing some Sermon prep online...I'll probably turf it all anyway.
As a parting shot, I love this little quote that is in the Heartlines discussion guide...
"Forgiving someone is like setting a prisoner free, only to realise that it was you who was the prisoner."
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