THE TRUE MEANING OF FORGIVENESS A couple of years ago I was in Africa where I was cheated out of seventyfive dollars. Actually, I thought I was giving aid to a poor family, but found out after I had given a young man money to design cloth that he purchas-ed the tie dye material on the open market for ten dollars. Well, as expected I was irate, but it was my fault. Accepting my mistake I decided to enjoy the remaining of my vacation when three policemen approached the hotel reception and asked for me. As I approached the desk, I was met by one of the policeman who kindly asks whether I would come with him to the police station. First I refused, until the discussion drew many bystanders seeking to understand why the policemen were arresting me. Eventually, I agreed to go with them and to my surprise there stood the con artist, looking at me and accusing me of cheating him. I could not believe the trouble I had simply because I wanted to help. The policemen were also gangsters and intended on getting more money out of me because the con artist said I promised to give him more money after he finished the job. By now I was burning, and refused to answer any questions. Twenty minutes of standing in the police dept. as a mannequin found me surprised by the local people from the seashore filling the small station and defended me. They all spoke up and insisted that I had helped each of them. The policemen, unfair, and greedy, refused to release me until I came up with the great idea of how to turn the attention back towards my accuser. I called one of the policeman to the side and said I had given the robber three hundred dollars, instead of seventyfive, well soon they forgot me and turned their attention towards the thief. Do you forgive him asked one of the officers, before releasing me? Seeing the answer as grounds for immediate release I quickly replied yes. As I walked away with the bystanders, I thought how I hated the policemen and the con artist. I felt good that I had gotten even with them. Well, I thought about the question of forgiveness weeks after my vacation, and what I did not know then is FORGIVENESS is and act of the heart and can only be released through a heart filled with the love of God. It is unimportant how often you tell someone you have forgiven them. True forgiveness shows no signs of hate for true forgiveness comes from our very center, a center grounded in the Father’s love. This means only those filled with love can forgive. This brings us to another point. Forgiving is Forgetting, this is an award statement, and I am sure it is an interpretation of the scriptures talking about God for-giving sinners and forgetting their sins. Well, it is easy for God to forget sins, since He sees our hearts, and knows only a repented heart seeks forgiveness. So all the lip service we give each other, begging for forgiveness doesn’t impress God. But, how many of us know when someone really wants forgiveness or is pretending? A way of determining if someone truely wants forgiveness is by his actions. Jesus said you will know a tree by the fruit it bears. There is no way a person can continue to hurt you over a prolong time if they truly want forgiveness. Also, people desiring forgiveness make it easy to forgive them. Jesus taught his disciples to take care about one another and forgive repeatedly because He knew their hearts were good thought sometimes their flesh got in the way. Luke (17:3-4), makes it clear that Jesus is talking to the brotherhood, those who had God’s kind of Love. Jesus did not tell His disciples to go about trying to forgive those who had no love for Him or the Father. And Jesus also knew it was impossible to seek forgiveness without know-ing love. Many Christians have been misled into thinking they must forgive and forget. Well, we could not have a better way for the enemies of God to wound us. Think about all the wives that have been brutally beaten, children that have been abused, and wars that have been started because we tried to forgive and forget horrible acts against humanity. I admit that forgiving is Godly, but forgetting a horrible act did towards you, or someone you know is not wise. A friend of mine gave me an example to clarify what I am saying. Suppose you had a friend that approached you with and ax, raises it high and chopped off one of your hands, and by an act of faith you manage to get away. Months after the bandages come off and the arm heal, you see the same person coming, would you wait for him to approach you and take a chance on losing the hand or would you take flight? Well, to stand and allow the ax handler to approach you is more than most people can take. I grant you that a person filled with God’s love will forgive him and probably pray for him, but only a fool will stand and allow the handler to approach him again. The lack of knowledge of what Jesus meant when encouraging His disciples to forgive continuously has caused many Christians to live in hell. Another scripture that took a very long time to get understanding on is Luke 6:37, which says Forgive so that the Father will forgive you. Now a closer look at the scripture reveals Jesus teaching His disciples how to be the Sons of God, and not just religious. Religion teaches to ask for forgiveness from the senses; Christ taught that only a forgiving heart can receive forgiveness. Luke 6:36 says God is charitable, kind, and forgiving to those that are not grateful and kind. God is grateful and kind to the good and bad; to all mankind, but the ungrateful cannot receive the things of God, for only a humble heart can receive God’s goodness. So anyone lacking the Goodness of God needs to go back and establish a relationship with Him. This the only way to forgive and receive forgiveness. A better understanding of forgiveness shows us God’s unconditional forgiveness of mankind, which he gave from creation. Jesus walked the earth to tell mankind that the Father had forgiven them, because men forgot their God given inheritance of forgiveness. A person that knows he is forgiven freely forgive others. When true followers of God grasp why Jesus taught about forgiveness, forgiveness will be as easy as breathing. Remember the first step in understanding forgiveness is to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, a found-ation that the Holy Spirit can guide you into the trues of God the Father. The Bible says to seek, and you will find.