July 11, 2011

The Missing Finger
Theme of the week: Forgiving When You'd Rather Not
Monday, July 11, 2011

Key Bible Verse: "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." (Luke 6:31, NIV) Dig Deeper: Luke 6:27-36

In her first session Margaret told the counselor that she was angry and didn't know why. She admitted that her attitude had aged her significantly and that she was unhappy with her life. After the counselor listened for a while, he inadvertently touched on a sensitive subject when he asked Margaret about her half finger. How did that happen, he asked?

Margaret spent the next 30 minutes describing how her sister accidentally chopped off the tip of her finger when they were little girls. Playing house at the kitchen table, things got out of hand as they were chopping onions. One missed chop had everyone screaming. "Almost half of my finger was missing and irreparable" Margaret explained. "Growing up, can you imagine the looks I have received? The laughter from kids in school and the feelings of being a freak?"

After listening some more, the counselor asked the million-dollar question, "Have you forgiven your sister?"

"No," Margaret responded curtly.

"It's been four decades now, Margaret. When do you suspect you will forgive your sister?"

Margaret lifted her disfigured hand to the counselor's face, leaned forward and retorted, "When the finger comes back!" [continued 7/12]

—David Anderson in I Forgrace You

My Response: Who do I need to forgive?