Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

A cartoon character says, “A lot of people don’t have principles, but I do. I am a highly principled person. I have one principle and I live according to that one principle and I never deviate from it.” When asked, “What is your principle?” he replied, “Look out for number one!”

Self-centeredness seems to be increasingly taking over the mentality of today’s society. The prevailing attitude seems to be, “If I don’t take care of me, no one will.” “Put yourself first. That’s what counts.”

There is power in this concept, power to use others, power to demean others, and power to hurt others in the process of the “self” quest. But God asks us to give up that power, just as Jesus gave up all power to submit to his own death in the quest to save souls.

Forgiveness is far more than smiles and sweet, patronizing talk. It means that we become sensitive within ourselves to the needs of others, particularly the need for forgiveness they have inside themselves. Sometimes a forgiving spirit has no affect on the other party, but it does have an impact on our own insides and feelings. We are richer for our willingness to let go of the past hurts and injustices.

Teach us, O God, not only to be forgiving, but to do so in a kind and gentle way. Help us to see that forgiveness from a cold heart is not really forgiveness at all.