The Poison of Resentment

Matthew 6:9-15[Jesus said to his disciples:] Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.A Sunday school teacher once said: “Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other one to die.” Think about it. Resentment hurts more the one who holds it. Think about all the poison we take just because we don’t want to forgive.Did you notice that there are seven petitions in the Lord’s Prayer, and that after Jesus finished teaching it, he explained only one of them? Do you know which one? The one on forgiveness.Forgiveness is the key that opens heaven. To withhold forgiveness is to close the access to Holy Communion and the access to heaven. Not to forgive is to poison our lives to the point that we become bitter and sour people.Forgiveness on the other side, frees us, because forgiveness is not resentful. Forgiveness throws poison to the trash, where it belongs. Forgiveness does not keep account of wrongdoings and is not offered in a limited way.By Rev. Hector Hoppe