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Empowered by forgiveness
Our family had suffered some hard knocks. God had led us forward. Our Christian Science branch church and Sunday School had sustained us over and over again. God was our mainstay and my heart yearned to know that my youngest child in particular would be OK. This dinner conversation was an assurance that this teenager was learning to live the love of God he was being taught:
“Skander, have I taught you that forgiveness is important?”
“Sure, Mom,” he replied without hesitation.
“How did I do that?”
“Well, maybe I shouldn’t say you taught me. I just know that forgiveness is important.”
“So, you know for sure that it’s a value of yours?”
“Yeah, I know it’s my value because I try to do it, and in fact I enjoy doing it.”
“Can you give me an example?”
“I can’t think of one now.”
“Well, the fact that you enjoy doing it is really good.”
“Mom, what’s making you talk about this?” (with genuine concern).
“I just read an article that said it’s important for parents to teach forgiveness because by the time kids are teenagers it’s usually hard for them to forgive.”
“I don’t agree with that at all. In fact, I think teenagers are good at forgiveness because teenagers know the importance of cutting people slack.”
“Why? Because teenagers know they need slack more than others?”
“I guess that’s a way of saying it. I think the problem is self-righteousness—feeling so much better than anyone else. If somebody doesn’t think they need slack, they think other people shouldn’t get a break either.”
“Maybe that’s how I’ve taught you forgiveness—you’ve needed to forgive me for my mistakes.”
“Mom, your mistakes aren’t any worse than mine” (with great tenderness).
Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.
May 5, 2014 issue
View Issue-
Letters
Steven Price, NancyWV, Heidi Werner
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Bible stories: nourishment for today
Marjorie Kehe
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Sacred accounts, modern application
Lois Degler
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A reliable healing law
Christopher B. Bordeaux
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Empowered by forgiveness
Lois Carlson
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Ageless activity
Brian Kissock
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Choosing simplicity
Mary Trammell
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A great 'missionary'
Katherine Lazarus
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Kicking out fear
Crystal Shepherd
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Overcoming fear of flying
Manuela Meier
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'Frozen shoulder' healed
Suzanne Hope-Wynne
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Prayer challenges cruise ship contagion
Cynthia Lindley
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Quick healing of finger
Kathryn Knox
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Watching for peace
The Editors