• By Eugene Rutabagaya

Folks, do not be tough on others - your partner, your children, your siblings, your friends, your colleagues, your employees, your neighbors… As much as it depends on you, try to be understanding, forgiving and loving.

Forgiveness was a key word in Jesus’s teachings (See Matthew 6:14 ; 18:21-22 ; Luke 6:37), and in his actions (Luke 23:34). When he was on the cross, in the midst of deep pains, with the crowds and the chief priests and the scribes accusing him unjustly, mocking him and treating him with contempt, and above all, demanding his crucifixion, Jesus demonstrated love in its utmost form by forgiving them and asking his Father to forgive them.

We have at least 3 reasons to forgive others :

(1) We ought to forgive others because we have been forgiven by God undeservedly. Who doesn’t have at least one situation where he or she has done wrong to others ?

(2) By forgiving other’s trespasses, our heavenly Father forgives our trespasses. It is as simple as that. This is a biblical principle established by Jesus, the source of forgiveness.

(3) Forgiveness heals the heart of the forgiver. When we fail to forgive, we remain under the grip of anger and resentment, and that brings lots of harm to our heart and to our soul. Nelson Mandela said : “Forgiveness liberates the heart, it removes fear. That’s why it’s such a powerful weapon”.

In Christ