Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Are you perfectly loving? Do you perfectly fulfill Christ's command to love God and others? As you read the principles of a loving Christian outlined in 1 Corinthians 13, you will have to agree with me that we all fall short of the perfect Law of love. "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:3-7, ESV). Every time I go over those principles, I’m reminded again of yet another way that I have been unloving. What do we do then? That is what this lesson is about. We will all do things that displease our spouse, friend, co-worker, or family member, so we must learn the art of forgiveness and reconciliation. The opposite of forgiveness in your heart is bitterness, and there a...