Pass It On

When I talk about my mom, it’s easy to become emotional. After losing my
mom in 2020, I wondered at the ways she mirrored God’s grace. In moments
when I stood guilty, I knew I was still loved by Mom.

Growing up in my house, we saw this grace in action—and to be honest,
sometimes it got a little personal. For example, when arguments broke out
between me and my brothers, she was on it. First, she separated us,
allowing everyone to calm down. Then, she let each of us tell our side of
the story. Next, she brought us together and quietly pointed out how we had
hurt, or perhaps manipulated, the other person.

Finally, came the part I dreaded: we faced each other and apologized. This
meant not only saying “I’m sorry,” but following it with: “Will you forgive
me?” Sometimes, just uttering the words “Yes, I forgive you” was the
hardest part. Other times, swallowing my pride and saying “I’m sorry” was
harder.

But Mom dealt with our pride by reminding us how Jesus humbled Himself to
die on the cross for our sins—not His—because He loves us. Second
Corinthians 5:21 says: “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the
offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through
Christ.” Because Jesus Christ willingly died for us, and then rose from the
grave, we have the sure hope of experiencing His grace…and extending that
grace to others. When I remember Christ’s humility, how much easier it is
to let go of the grip of resentment.

God’s inexplicable grace leads us to experience His forgiveness—a
forgiveness so strong, we can pass it on to others. • G. Kam Congleton

• Have you experienced God’s forgiveness by trusting in Jesus? (Read more
by checking out the “Know Jesus” page.)

• Even after we’ve experienced Jesus’s forgiveness, it can still be
difficult to forgive others. But God is patient with us, and He invites us
to rely on His power and love to forgive. How might remembering what Jesus
has done to forgive us help us to forgive others? (Remember, if someone has
hurt you deeply, forgiving them
doesn’t mean you need to be in close relationship with them.)

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.
Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
(NLT)

Read Verses:

Eph.4.31-Eph.5.2|Col.3.13