September 26, 2006

It Sure Didn't Hurt

Today’s devotional comes from Dr. Dick Tibbits and is about the incredible power of forgiveness.  Enjoy!  Todd

Have you ever told the truth and been attacked for doing so? Maybe someone asked for your “honest opinion” and when you gave it, as graciously as you could, you got blasted. Or perhaps you brought up an inconvenient fact crucial to some discussion and were made to feel as though you had just caused Noah’s Flood, World War II and the Spanish Inquisition.

How do you tend to respond to hostile outbursts? With anger of your own? By trying to shrug off the incident? Through withdrawing from the conversation? Or by tapping into the power of forgiveness? 

“But they don’t deserve to be forgiven!” you say. “Why should I extend to them the courtesy of forgiveness when they didn’t extend to me any courtesy at all?” 

Well, you might want to ask Stephen that question. 

The book of Acts calls Stephen “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). Through him, “a man full of God’s grace and power,” God “did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). 

So with a resume like that, how did Stephen end up under a pile of stones? In fact, he simply told the truth, and because others did not want to hear that truth, they stoned him to death.And you think you are being persecuted?  

Despite his unfair treatment, Stephen did not return hatred for hatred—even though he received no apologies and no one in the bloodthirsty crowd ever said they were sorry, nor asked him for forgiveness, nor admitted their fault. So what did he do? 

He forgave them. “Lord,” he cried out just before he died, “do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). Since Stephen had chosen to live a life of forgiveness, he was prepared to offer forgiveness in his most terrifying hour. In so doing he followed the model of his Lord Jesus, who had prayed for those who crucified Him, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). 

Is such a response natural? Of course not. Is it easy? Hardly. Left to ourselves, we don’t want to forgive those who hurt us; we want to get back at them. The only effective way to consistently overcome our worst impulses is to make sure that we, like Stephen, are full of faith, grace, divine power and the Holy Spirit. 

Stephen didn’t change anyone’s mind that day by forgiving those who attacked him—at least, that is how it appeared that day. Stephen couldn’t change what anyone did. But he could control how he responded, and by forgiving them rather than cursing them, with his last breath he brought peace to his own soul. 

Likewise, you can’t control what someone else does, but you can always control how you respond. They might hold a grudge, but you don’t have to. They might remain angry, but you can let it go through forgiveness. The forgiveness you offer changes and benefits you, first of all, for forgiveness prevents you from becoming like the person whose actions you do not like. 

And of course, you never know what it might do for someone else. An angry young man named Saul had watched Stephen die that day—and not too long afterward he also put his faith in Christ. Today we know him better as the apostle Paul. Did Stephen’s prayer for forgiveness help bring Saul to Christ? Who knows? But one thing is for certain: it sure didn’t hurt. 

“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”  Acts 7:59-60

Dr. Dick Tibbits

Chief People Officer, Florida Hospital

Dick.Tibbits@FLHosp.org