“Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a constant attitude.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

If we don’t maintain an “attitude” of forgiveness as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. advocates then we run the risk of being overwhelmed with anger and bitterness. Both of those are powerful emotions, which can lead us down a road we don’t want to be on.

Forgiveness isn’t about the other person. It’s not for them. It is for you and your heart. It doesn’t mean that when you forgive someone you don’t still have appropriate boundaries. There is still a need to rebuild broken trust that was damaged between both parties.

It also doesn’t automatically mean we should be reconciled with that person either. We don’t need to return to that relationship and “work things out” because there is a difference between both parties. We don’t have to accept the harmful behaviors done against us and subject ourselves to that again.

Finally, we also must learn to acknowledge our own shortcomings and forgive ourselves. Self-forgiveness is often the first step towards a more loving and positive relationship with yourself, and therefore with others.

Jesus spoke of love as the greatest commandment: loving God with all your heart, soul and strength. The second commandment was like it: love one another as yourself.

Part of the implication of this verse is not obvious: In order to love others, you must verse be able to love yourself. If you can’t love and forgive yourself, how do you expect to love others the way Jesus commanded?

– Jason

Mark 12:28-31 (English Standard Version) And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Julpha Jean, my Filipino friend and fellow blogger, just wrote a nice poem on Forgiveness a few days ago. Check it out!