I've actually learned something from my cat this week. She isn't as mean as I make out sometimes... And she can forgive, so I guess she's on pretty good ground, morally speaking.
On Tuesday morning, I got ready for college as normal, went into the kitchen, and made a drink before I left. I shut the kitchen door, and didn't think to check where the cat was. I came home at about 6 that night, and was surprised to find that the cat wasn't standing in her normal place on the stairs, looking at me a little bit funnily, wondering why on Earth I would want to go outside, of all places... Didn't I know it was much more fun to see how far I could climb up the curtains?!
Niether was she in her bed, using her litter tray or eating her food in the living room. No. The cat was in the kitchen, where I'd shut her in that morning by mistake. Needless to say, I felt terrible about the situation, but she was so casual about it, and forgave me instantly, even jumping up on to my lap that evening for a cuddle. She's quite nice sometimes.
Anyway... the point is this: If my cat can forgive me so readily for an atrocity like shutting her in the kitchen for ten hours, alone, bored and hungry, why can't I forgive my sister so readily for borrowing my clothes without asking? And why do I struggle to be patient with people who so easily dismiss my faith as nonsense?
I guess the answer has got to be because I'm human. But while being human is challenging at times, we shouldn't use it as an excuse to misbehave. We also shouldn't just expect to be able to really forgive ourselves until we truly repent... So unless I've actually stopped doing things I know are wrong, or made every effort not to do them, then I wouldn't say that I was truly forgiven.
It's pretty hypocritical of me to expect God-or my friend- to forgive me for slapping her (Example only, it hasn't happened!) If I apologise, and then just do it all over again. If you were to ask me why I'd done it (I'm serious, it's only hypothetical!) I couldn't just shrug and say 'It's okay, as long as they forgive me, right? After all, I'm only human.'
Acts 2:38
'Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."'
So I guess it's time we stopped blaming each other for everything, accepted responsibility for our actions, and made like my cat and started forgiving.
Meow.
On Tuesday morning, I got ready for college as normal, went into the kitchen, and made a drink before I left. I shut the kitchen door, and didn't think to check where the cat was. I came home at about 6 that night, and was surprised to find that the cat wasn't standing in her normal place on the stairs, looking at me a little bit funnily, wondering why on Earth I would want to go outside, of all places... Didn't I know it was much more fun to see how far I could climb up the curtains?!
Niether was she in her bed, using her litter tray or eating her food in the living room. No. The cat was in the kitchen, where I'd shut her in that morning by mistake. Needless to say, I felt terrible about the situation, but she was so casual about it, and forgave me instantly, even jumping up on to my lap that evening for a cuddle. She's quite nice sometimes.
Anyway... the point is this: If my cat can forgive me so readily for an atrocity like shutting her in the kitchen for ten hours, alone, bored and hungry, why can't I forgive my sister so readily for borrowing my clothes without asking? And why do I struggle to be patient with people who so easily dismiss my faith as nonsense?
I guess the answer has got to be because I'm human. But while being human is challenging at times, we shouldn't use it as an excuse to misbehave. We also shouldn't just expect to be able to really forgive ourselves until we truly repent... So unless I've actually stopped doing things I know are wrong, or made every effort not to do them, then I wouldn't say that I was truly forgiven.
It's pretty hypocritical of me to expect God-or my friend- to forgive me for slapping her (Example only, it hasn't happened!) If I apologise, and then just do it all over again. If you were to ask me why I'd done it (I'm serious, it's only hypothetical!) I couldn't just shrug and say 'It's okay, as long as they forgive me, right? After all, I'm only human.'
Acts 2:38
'Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."'
So I guess it's time we stopped blaming each other for everything, accepted responsibility for our actions, and made like my cat and started forgiving.
Meow.
