A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
I really don't have a letter to write for someone who has hurt me recently. Or maybe I do but figured this would do just as good - if not better for me and for you!
Have you ever read the story of Abigail in the book of Samuel? Such a great story to read and an even better lesson to learn.
A brief summary:
David and his men do some work for Nabel. Nabel doesn't give them what they asked for and when David finds out - he is infuriated, as well as his men. As David and his men started making their way to Nabels house to start a war they run into a small detour. Abigail. The rest of the story goes as told:
"Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be."
"Upon you be what iniquity, woman?"
"Please my lord, I saw not the young men you sent to Nabal, my husband. But see, I have provided. Please accept of my offering, that this shall be no grief unto thee."
"You take the fool's sins on your own head? You know the injustice and see us coming to right it, and now you beg for mercy upon thine house?"
"I beg for my house, yes, but for thee also, my lord, that this shall not be an offense of heart unto thee, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself. For the Lord will certainly make thee a sure house because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. So it ever may be so, my lord, I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid."
Did you get all that?
Abigail begged David to forgive her all the same- not Nabal, but her, as if she were the one who had done the wrong. She didn't say, Forgive Nabel of his trespass.
*Forgive the trespass of thine handmaid.*
Abigail, the one who didn't need forgiveness nevertheless asked for it - illuminates something very important about forgiveness. It illustrates who forgiveness is for.
Abigail's message was that forgiveness was for the one who was forgiving, not the one who was being forgiven.
The story of Abigail also suggests that the Atonement is as much for the benefit of the sinned against- the victim of sin - as for the sinner.
If you've read The Peacegiver you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't read it - please do. I was reading it for the second time the other day and knew that I needed to mention this story - and how perfect for "A letter to someone who has hurt you."
I think we are all often too quick to blame the other person. Or justify why/how they are wrong in every way and how we are in the right. It's not always the sinner that needs to repent and be forgiven... but its often a lesson for the one sinned against. One might say David did nothing wrong; he didn't make it to Nabel and he didn't start a fight. But the 'war' began when David and his men started seeking revenge in their hearts. Even though we may not say the mean things we want to or act in a hostile way - we are still sinning by putting the thought into it.
I know I'm guilty of it. And it's something I openly have been aware of and trying to work on. So if someone has hurt me - I need to think of what I may or may not have done to influence their feelings and actions.
Well, that's my preaching for the day. I love The Peacegiver. Read it. Enough said.
"Being mistreated is the most important condition of mortality. For eternity itself depends on how we view those who mistreat us."
I really don't have a letter to write for someone who has hurt me recently. Or maybe I do but figured this would do just as good - if not better for me and for you!
Have you ever read the story of Abigail in the book of Samuel? Such a great story to read and an even better lesson to learn.
A brief summary:
David and his men do some work for Nabel. Nabel doesn't give them what they asked for and when David finds out - he is infuriated, as well as his men. As David and his men started making their way to Nabels house to start a war they run into a small detour. Abigail. The rest of the story goes as told:
"Upon me, my lord, upon me let this iniquity be."
"Upon you be what iniquity, woman?"
"Please my lord, I saw not the young men you sent to Nabal, my husband. But see, I have provided. Please accept of my offering, that this shall be no grief unto thee."
"You take the fool's sins on your own head? You know the injustice and see us coming to right it, and now you beg for mercy upon thine house?"
"I beg for my house, yes, but for thee also, my lord, that this shall not be an offense of heart unto thee, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself. For the Lord will certainly make thee a sure house because my lord fighteth the battles of the Lord, and evil hath not been found in thee all thy days. So it ever may be so, my lord, I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid."
Did you get all that?
Abigail begged David to forgive her all the same- not Nabal, but her, as if she were the one who had done the wrong. She didn't say, Forgive Nabel of his trespass.
*Forgive the trespass of thine handmaid.*
Abigail, the one who didn't need forgiveness nevertheless asked for it - illuminates something very important about forgiveness. It illustrates who forgiveness is for.
Abigail's message was that forgiveness was for the one who was forgiving, not the one who was being forgiven.
The story of Abigail also suggests that the Atonement is as much for the benefit of the sinned against- the victim of sin - as for the sinner.
If you've read The Peacegiver you know exactly what I'm talking about. If you haven't read it - please do. I was reading it for the second time the other day and knew that I needed to mention this story - and how perfect for "A letter to someone who has hurt you."
I think we are all often too quick to blame the other person. Or justify why/how they are wrong in every way and how we are in the right. It's not always the sinner that needs to repent and be forgiven... but its often a lesson for the one sinned against. One might say David did nothing wrong; he didn't make it to Nabel and he didn't start a fight. But the 'war' began when David and his men started seeking revenge in their hearts. Even though we may not say the mean things we want to or act in a hostile way - we are still sinning by putting the thought into it.
I know I'm guilty of it. And it's something I openly have been aware of and trying to work on. So if someone has hurt me - I need to think of what I may or may not have done to influence their feelings and actions.
Well, that's my preaching for the day. I love The Peacegiver. Read it. Enough said.
"Being mistreated is the most important condition of mortality. For eternity itself depends on how we view those who mistreat us."
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