N.T. Wright says that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus calling men to follow him, but who also leaves tasks and vocations in the villages; not everyone who heard Jesus immediately left their home and joined him in His travels. Jesus was leaving little cells of kingdom people right where they were, just as we are now called to be lights in our homes, our workplaces, and our townships.
But Jesus is clear that if we want to be part of the team, we are going to have to behave in a new way: we are going to have to learn about forgiveness.
N.T. Wright continues: “Being kingdom people means being forgiveness people and if you deny forgiveness to other people, how have you any idea about God forgiving you? God commands that we are to be a community that practices jubilee, meaning that forgiveness is its way of life.”
In Colossians Chapter 3 (1-4, 12-14) we read: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
It is plainly stated in the Word of God: if we want to be kingdom people, we must be forgiveness people.
Do you want to be a part of God’s kingdom? Then forgiveness must be your way of life.
I pray that you will forgive others, “as the Lord has forgiven you.”
Blessings, my friend,
Agatha