July 9, 2011

Forgive and forget?

Hello again. Jennifer and I were talking the other day and thought of some good articles that we could add to this site. She has already added two new articles to Reflections and I'm just now adding this one. I decided to write about forgiveness because we decided that we have both been taught WRONG about how to forgive. It seems we have always heard from churches in our past to forgive and forget. To humble ourselves, going back into the same situations over and over again for more abuse. Those twisted teachings turn Christians into dumb doormats. Why would we be taught to forget what we have learned from our past experiences? Just forget what we have learned and possibly continue to make the same mistakes over and over again? That's insane! We can forgive without forgetting valuable knowledge we have learned from bad experiences. Valuable knowledge that will help us to avoid bad experiences in the future.

It seems that we have also been taught that this is how God operates too. He somehow goes dumb and can't remember events of the past. Do you think God will fill His Kingdom with souls that hate Him and use His name in vain? Do you think He just allows anybody into His home because they were baptized one time in their life and then lived the rest of their lives with no regard or respect for Him? Or they think they can say a few magic words and then go about their business using His name in vain, having total disrespect for and disbelief in Him? I know by reading God's Word that this is not how He operates. Go back to the home page of this site if you want to read about how God operates, chapter and verse.

What really matters is what's in our hearts. Yes, we need to forgive and not carry hatred and bitterness in our hearts. We don't need to try to get revenge for past wrongs. We need to forgive and let it go. Forgive and move on with our lives, not dwelling on past wrongs. But forget and continue going back into abusive situations? NO! It is possible to be intelligent, forgiving Christians, learning from our past experiences.

On a side note sort of related to this, what has happened to respect for other people's personal space? Jennifer and I have noticed the lack of respect and attention to other people's personal space. When we go into a store, we feel like we are swarmed by people in a zombie-like trance just doing what they see other people doing. We are constantly being assaulted with people bumping into us, reaching in front of us and grabbing merchandise. Ramming us with their shopping baskets and then giving us dirty looks like it was our fault somehow. No apologies or anything. Practically hitting us when we are driving by coming over into our lane while they are texting and talking on their i-this and me-that gizmos. It's like people are so self-consumed with their texting gizmos that they don't even acknowledge other people around them. Either that or they are so focused on whatever it is they are going to get, it's almost like they are on a special-ops mission in enemy territory. Taking no prisoners that may get between them and their loaf of bread or whatever it is they are going to get down at the store. With a laser-like focus, just plowing over any obstacle that may stumble into their way.

I'm not claiming to be any better than anybody else. But really, we need to all slow down and pay attention to our surroundings. Try to find and smell the roses along the way. I'm sorry but sometimes I don't have any choice but to just let some people run into me. It's either that or curl up into the fetal position on the floor. And they would probably still plow over me anyway. Sometimes I find myself constantly trying to get out of other people's way and they just keep coming towards me no matter how far I go to avoid them. It's really strange. I have no desire to make physical contact with strangers. Yet some people are like good little space saving robots packing into areas single-file like sardines, wasting no space. They can come into a mostly empty place of business or restaurant and seek out the only other stranger there. They will choose the table or parking spot right next to the only other person there. Strange. Maybe all of these wireless gizmo microwaves are slowly cooking our brains. Who knows? But all I can do is try to learn from my experience and move on. I can't be consumed with bitterness and un-forgiveness. I have learned that I can keep strangers from bumping into me and rubbing up against me at the checkout lane by keeping my shopping basket between me and them. I ALWAYS get a shopping basket now. Otherwise I'm just wide-open with nothing to defend myself with. LOL. I think if we could just have a little common courtesy and respect for each other's personal space, that we could avoid a lot of the situations I have read about in the news about brawls breaking out at fast food restaurants and other places. Anyway, I have ranted long enough here. Time to go for now. Until next time...