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What is the answer to the violence of our time?  Certainly, a contributing factor would be the lack or absence of forgiveness.  Simply stated, we don’t see much or any evidence of forgiveness in the hate-filled rhetoric human abuse, uncivil demonstrations, terrorists attacks or multiple acts of inhumanity to humanity taking place in our culture today.

The whole story of Jesus’ passion is full of reasons to refuse forgiveness.  Herod treated him like a clown and sought to humiliate him.  The soldiers beat Jesus and tried to rob him of all self-respect.  The religious leaders sought to empty his teaching of meaning.  The crowd jeered at his divine sonship and the robber cursed him.  Do these people deserve forgiveness?  Hardly!  Yet Jesus forgave them.  “Father,” he prayed, “forgive them for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).  When there seemingly was no forgiveness of bad acts, Jesus forgave setting a new standard of behavior.

Actually, the forgiveness that runs through Scripture moves in two directions-vertically and horizontally.  And for people of faith these two monuments are necessarily inter-related.  My own ability to forgive is made possible by God’s forgiveness of me.  And the same is true if of you.  Here are a few things that will help us to know about forgiveness.

First, forgiveness is actually a gift to ourselves!  Certainly, it’s a gift to others, but it’s also a gift to ourselves.  We give ourselves the gift of resolution and even peace when we forgive others.  Forgiveness alone can break the chain of unbrace, both in ourselves and in others.  Nelson Mandela taught the world a lesson in grace and forgiveness when, after emerging from prison after 27 years and being elected president of South Africa, he asked his jailer to join him on the inauguration platform.

Second, forgiveness is remembering that we also Need forgiveness!  German philosopher Goethe uttered these words in his old age: “One has only to grow older to become more tolerant.  I see no fault in others that I might not have committed myself.”  Sometimes we can forgive the impossible when we remember that we ourselves have been impossibly forgiven more times that we care to admit.

Third, forgiveness is not necessarily forgetting!  All too often we use the phrase “forgive and forget.”  But the truth is, biblical faith is grounded in remembering.  Thus, we are called not to “forgive and forget,” but to “remember and forgive.” Once President Abraham Lincoln was asked how he was going to treat the rebellious southerners when then had been defeated and returned to the union of the United States?”  Lincoln replied, “I will treat them as if they had never been away.”  It’s not “forgive and forget,” but remember and forgive.”

Finally, forgiveness is possible through the Spirit of God living within us!  How many times have we heard people say and even said it ourselves, “I don’t have it in me to forgive.”  This is true, but “in me” is not the only place to look.  God has changed many unforgivable hearts.  The only prayer more noble than asking God for forgiveness is that which ask God for the strength to forgive another.  Friends, without forgiveness,  there is no future for the world-no hope for ending the violence of our time.  I repeat, without forgiveness, there is no future or hope for the United States or the world. Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”