by Sam | Apr 17, 2014 | Reflection
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” — Jesus (Matthew 7:12) Jesus sums up Scripture in what is known as the “Golden Rule“. Treat others the way that you yourself would want to be treated. Sounds easy enough. However the reality is that most people won’t treat you the way that they would want to be treated. When that happens it pretty much always results in hurts, disappointments, and pain, which inevitably leads to bitterness, anger, offense, and unforgiveness. In a broken world full of broken people, things just seem to get more broken. It’s sin begetting more sin. One of the greatest areas of struggle in my own life these past couple years has been in the area of forgiveness. Couple years back I was completely blindsided and betrayed by the ones I loved and trusted most. I’ve never experienced such hurt in my life before. In a moment it felt like everything was taken away. Yet to make matters worse, I was completely abandoned by community. Not just any community, but a community of Christians, and not just any Christians, but a Christian community of leaders and pastors. Never would I have imagined that I would be treated the way I was by them. So when I needed others most, I was left alone to deal with what had just happened. Forgiving the ones who had hurt me would be tough already, but when I saw that they were welcomed and even celebrated by this community as if they did nothing...
