March 2nd, 2010 
dave luke 23:34 – and Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
here, while Jesus is dying on the cross, he asks his father to forgive his killers for the ignorance of their actions.
haven’t we always been taught that we have to ask for forgiveness from God before we can receive it? why then does Jesus ask his father to forgive his killers, despite the fact that they crucified him with no remorse?
through Christ, i’ve come to find that the most shocking and earth-shattering thing you can do to another person is what Jesus did. forgive them. whether they deserve it or not.
forgiveness is central to the life of a follower of Christ. it leads us to love neighbor and enemy alike, since we know that we are nowhere near being worthy of the forgiveness we continually receive.
imagine, if you will, that someone close to you has ripped you off, lied to you, told lies about you or turned their back on you. would it not be far more Christ-like to offer forgiveness to them (prior to them asking) than to seek revenge in-kind?
we are called to a revenge far more powerful than eye for an eye. forgiveness is our greatest act of revenge.
-dave-
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