It's easy to understand why a starving cat would hiss and spit to keep other cats away from a morsel of food in a trash can, but it's harder to understand why someone would act selfishly in the face of abundance. Yet this was the scenario unfolding before me.
“These are mine,” one grandchild shouted. “I’m using them to build a tower.”
“No, they’re mine,” the other said, snatching the log from her sister’s hand. “I need them to build a bridge.” A tug of war ensued, and I stepped in to mediate.
“Girls, these logs aren’t yours. They belong to Gigi, and I'm sharing them with you. If you want to play with them, you’re going to have to work out a way to share with each other. If you fight again, I’m going to put them back into the attic.”
I shake my head at my grandchildren’s squabbles, yet I am often guilty of the same crime—selfishness in the face of abundance. Apparently it’s a sin that goes back to Bible times. The book of Jonah describes an ancient version of the Lincoln Log scene.
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You are absolutely right Ms. Lori. I can't say I've ever considered that before, but un-forgiveness is a form of selfishness. I want to hold onto my hurt, my pain, my embarrassment and sulk rather than forgiving someone and letting it all go. Except when I'm the one who needs forgiving. You get two "Amens" this morning ma'am. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJ.D. I was especially thinking of how generous God is with forgiveness to us, and how stingy it is to withhold it from others . . . Lord, help us be as generous with others as you are with us. Thanks for your kind words, J.D.
DeleteAnother thing about forgiveness: it not only sets the other person free, it sets US free too. Sometimes WE are the ones trapped by our unforgiveness and it's only when we let go that we can be free and move on with our lives.
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