If It's Wrong, Forget It

     Ever have anyone do something bad to you?  Well that's a dumb question.  Ever do something bad to someone else?  Yeah, you know you have.
     As humans, and if you're reading this I'm pretty sure you're just as human as I am, we tend to hang on to things other humans do that hurt us.  Whether done out of spite, jealously, anger or even by accident, it seems there is a space on our personal hard drive we call a brain that is made especially to keep record of wrongs done to us.
     I Corinthians 13 is often associated with romance.  While the "love" chapter definitely relates to, well, love, as I've said before it's more about Jesus than we usually realize.  Without Jesus we don't have love.  Not real love anyway.  Real love is described here.  Let's take verses 4-5 for example.  Love is patient and kind.  It doesn't boast and isn't proud.  It doesn't dishonor others or bring attention to itself.  It's not easily angered.  It keeps no record of wrongs. 
     Wow.  Love keeps NO record of wrongs.  It doesn't say that love puts that bad stuff in the back of the mind to bring up later.  It doesn't say love forgives only those who grovel and beg for forgiveness.  Nor does it say love only forgives those it's married to or parent of or related to in some other way.  If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we are to love.  Period.  Love.  Love our neighbor as ourselves. (Mark 12:31)  Love our enemies  (Matthew 5:44) and even pray for them.
     Again, wow.  In fact, big WOW.  It's easy to forgive someone who sincerely asks and then never does anything hurtful again.  It's easy to forgive when you're head over heels, mushy kind of in love with the sweetest person on earth.  But forgiving someone who has wronged you.  Someone who stays up at night trying to think of more ways to persecute you and generally make your life miserable.  Oh sure.  You could get mad and persecute them right back.  Well you know you could.  And you probably have.  I know I have.
     But to quote a popular saying from a couple of decades ago......what would Jesus do?  Don't have to think long on that one.  He would forgive.  In fact, He already did.  He gave absolutely everything He had.  His dignity.  His comfort.  His blood.  His life.  Can I even come close to that?  No.  But He has been teaching me a huge part of love lately.   Letting go.  If it's wrong, forgetting it.  And praying for those who hurt me.  I don't know if they mean to or not.  And that's really between them and God.  I just know love doesn't take into account a wrong suffered.  Whether it's from a friend or foe, love forgets it when wronged.
     Love doesn't take into account a wrong suffered.  Who are we to love?  Our spouses, our families, our friends and even our enemies.  Are there benefits?  Oh sure.  Sleeping better.  Peace within.  And smiling.  So if it's wrong, forget it.  That's what Jesus does. That's love.