Why Should I Forgive the Jerk?

As I sit in my favorite coffee shop procrastinating the inevitable grading I must do, I am listening to one of my favorite movie soundtracks…Cinderella.  It’s the 2014 instrumental version.  Although this story strays a bit from the original Grimm’s Fairy Tale, the ending is beautiful.  It’s not the fact that the servant marries the prince, but the fact that the mistreated servant forgives her evil stepmother who enslaved her.  She turns as she is leaving the darkened castle that trapped her, looks at her stepmother going up the stairs, and speaks the three hardest words in the English language, “I forgive you.” 

The simplicity brings much depth to a story that needed those three words.  The stepmother did not respond.  She did not even stay in Cinderella’s life.  Those three words were never meant for the stepmother.  They were spoken to free Cinderella of all her chains.  Not only did the chains that her stepsisters and stepmother put on her to serve them hold her back from her dreams, but also the chains of her own frustrations and bitterness.  “I forgive you,” was for Cinderella. 

Today, people struggle to forgive others.  I know a young man who refuses to forgive a whole church for not giving him money because he wanted to pursue a career that did not give him a job.  He said that he would never forgive that church.  Funny, no one at that church today, ten years later, knows him.  No one at that church is harmed because of his unforgiveness.  The only one harmed is the young man unwilling to forgive. 

Jesus can forgive any sin.  Forgiveness is for the person forgiving to heal.  We cannot forget because our minds will not let us.  Don’t believe me?  Forget the color purple exists.  Now, all you can do is think about that color purple.  (Of course, I picked my favorite color.)  We forgive, and we learn from the situation to become stronger people.  Strength does not come when life is great and comfortable.  It comes through trials.  James 1 informs us that we will face trials, as he uses the word, “WHEN,” and not “IF.”  Trials give us perseverance in our faith.  Forgiveness is on the path to perseverance. 

I have noticed that many people are angry and bitter in our country today.  Some people are so angry and bitter at the church, Christians, God, non-Christians, Republicans, Democrats, big companies, small companies, bosses, friends, spouses, children, parents, siblings, people, dogs, cats, birds, fish, movies, television shows, Disney, etc.  The list is too long to continue.  I do notice that the anger and bitterness that people hold tightly is due to the fact that they refuse to forgive.  Forgiveness would create for them a means to let go. 

I encourage you.  No matter what the issue or problem.  In the words of the deep philosopher, Princess Elsa, “Let It Go.”  Forgiveness is the path to letting go. Forgive.  Learn.  Become Strong.  Persevere.  You are the only one that the unforgiveness is harming.