To you, “please, forgive me.”

I have said and done hundreds of stupid things in my life.  Unfortunately, many of these things have hurt indirectly (and directly) the people around me.  The only difference between the idiotic damage I did as a youth vs. adult, is the time for which I come to the realization.  Today, I’ll say or do something and know instantly or within days/weeks that I am an idiot.  As for when I was a youth, it can and has taken decades. 

So what do I do about this?  I want forgiveness.  NOT because I want to release the burden on my heart (although this is a secondary factor), but because it is the RIGHT thing to do.  So, how do I do this?  I can’t call or write everyone… in fact, it’s not appropriate in many cases (if you don’t agree, think about who you have wronged) to contact someone directly.  I think this is what I’ll do:

• Where appropriate, I will contact them
• Where inappropriate, or for those I am unaware I have hurt, I will pray today asking for their forgivenss (I have faith that God will work out the necessary details).
• To you (reading this blog), “please, forgive me.  I was a stupid idiot (or maybe worse).”

Thankfully, the frequency for which I hurt people has drastically decreased (especially in the past few years).  The fact that Jesus forgave me of ALL of the crap in my life, makes it nearly impossible not to ask for forgiveness or to forgive everything that everyone has done to hurt me over my life.  In that humility and without self righteous justification…

To you,“please, forgive me.”

Matthew 18:21,22  Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.