“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” –Luke 6:37
I am currently re-reading a book I first read over 20 years ago called Love, Acceptance and Forgiveness by Jerry Cook. It’s one of those books that challenges us to look at our lives and ask a simple question: Are we really living like Jesus? Because as followers of Christ, we’re called to love, accept, and forgive people.
The truth is, we’re all human. We’re all going to make mistakes. We’re all going to fail. And if we’re honest, there will be times when people hurt us, disappoint us, or do things that are simply wrong. The question is not whether we will be hurt. The question is, how will we respond when we are?
Jesus makes it very clear in Luke 6:37 that forgiveness needs to be a part of our response. And the key is not allowing our emotions to determine how we respond. Because forgiveness is not an emotion—it’s a decision. Jerry Cook said it this way: “We don’t forgive with our memory or emotions—we forgive with our will.”
We choose to forgive. We choose not to live in anger, bitterness, or revenge. We choose to release the person and the offense into God’s hands. And that doesn’t mean what happened was okay. Forgiveness is not condoning wrong behavior or pretending that we weren’t hurt. It simply means we refuse to allow what someone did control what happens in our hearts.
We live in a time of extreme division and, unfortunately, that division has made its way into the Church. But that is not God’s heart for His people. God desires reconciliation, healing, and unity. And sometimes forgiveness is the first step toward all three.
When we choose to love, accept, and forgive one another, we are choosing to live like Jesus. And maybe today there is someone we need to forgive. Not because they deserve it. Not because what they did was okay. But because we have been forgiven much, and Jesus has called us to forgive others.
Forgiveness is a choice. And when we choose forgiveness, we open the door for God to bring healing—not only into our relationships, but into our own hearts.
