Poison Berry
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another. Ephesians 4:32.
We were having a great holiday dinner. Things were winding down at the dinner table. We were catching up with family member we hadn't seen and the younger generation was enjoying "cousin time". We were packed in like sardines at the table in the small kitchen. My mother-in-law went to the utility room to get the pies. She came back carrying them and said, "we have pumpkin, sour cream and raisin, cream cheese and boysenberry." My son misunderstood and exclaimed "Poison berry pie?!" If anyone is telling stories about my children, this is one of the first to be repeated
I was thinking about this tonight after talking to my family and eating my pie. (Not poison berry). I was also thinking about the hurts and resentments that I have been healed from, this year in particular. I have discovered that unforgiveness will choke you. I have discovered that if you make excuses for people's behavior and bury you feelings you don't experience healing. I have also discovered that just because you forgive someone it doesn't mean the hurt is gone. These things become poison berries in pour hearts ad spirits. We need to get rid of them before the thorns choke us and the fruit turns rancid. We can't do this alone. We have to rely on God's power and not our own.
Ephesians 4:31-32 tells us "Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger and slander and every form of malice. Be kind o one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven you."
We can't afford to withhold forgiveness when we have received it so freely.
Second we need to forgive because we are not perfect and have wronged others. Matthew 7:3-5 describes a person who sees a fault in his brother.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." How wonderful it would be if we could practice this in our churches and families.
Hebrews 12:15 warns us , "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled."
So what about the hurt left over after we forgive? It can cause us to put up our hackles to protect ourselves. We may isolate or revert to passive aggressive behavior or just plain old aggressive behavior. The answer is simple but not easy. first Peter 5:7 says "Cast your cares on Him for he cares for you." God will take the hurt and guilt and leave us free to love.
As a Christmas gift to yourself and those you love, dig up the "Poison Berries" in your life. It will make for a happier and more peaceful holiday.
