“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
— Luke 23:34
It’s not hard to forgive the little things. Like when your best friend tells you that you have a booger coming out of your nose, right in front of a bunch of boys. It makes you mad for a while, but you can forgive and even forget and move on.
But what about those times when somebody does something really major to you or to someone you love? A careless driver hits your dog with his car. A group of girls makes your life miserable at school. It’s really hard to say, “I forgive you.”
It’s hard because you’re human. Fortunately, God isn’t. He forgives even the worst sins.
And it has never been worse than people nailing Jesus to a cross and letting him die there in pain and shame. Doing that to the Son of God — it’s just hard to imagine God forgiving that.
Jesus looked down at the people who had spit on him and beaten him up and said, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” It wasn’t that they didn’t realize they were hurting him. They just didn’t know he was really God. That’s how God forgives even the worst — because he understands us. Isn’t that the best?
More To Explore: Psalm 103:10 – 14
Girl Talk: Is there someone you are having a hard time forgiving? Remember how quickly Jesus forgave and follow his example.
God Talk: “God, I’m glad that you understand me. You know that I’m human, and I often mess up. But you are always willing to forgive me. Thank you for that. Amen.”
From That Is So Me by Nancy Rue