Article August 17, 1940 Issue

Forgiveness

CONSTANCE SYLVIA OBBARD

SOMETIMES, one of the hardest things we are called upon to do is to forgive. Perhaps an unprovoked attack has been made upon us by either an open enemy or a false friend, and as a result we may have suffered seemingly irreparable loss. We are tempted to give way to resentment, even hate, and to feel that the old Mosaic law of "an eye for an eye" is much nearer to our sense of justice than Christ Jesus' gentle admonition to turn the other cheek. We may also realize that our own lack of wisdom has contributed in large measure to the misfortune which has overtaken us, and a sense of self-condemnation is added to our already overburdened thought.

Now, neither resentment towards another nor self-condemnation ever yet healed any situation. Neither does the sentimental emotionalism of the old adage, "Forgive and forget," really get down to the bedrock of the trouble.

Jesus taught his students to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;" and on page 11 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" our Leader makes this statement: "Jesus' prayer, 'Forgive us our debts,' specified also the terms of forgiveness. When forgiving the adulterous woman he said, 'Go, and sin no more.'" Again, on the same page she adds, "Divine Principle never pardons our sins or mistakes till they are corrected."

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