Forgiveness & the Dental Hygenist

The real-life, real-time importance of forgiveness was driven home to me this morning as I sat in the dentists chair.

My hygenist began sharing with me about the messy divorce she had been through and (knowing what I do) how the Lord had been showing her how crucial it was that she forgive her ex and his now wife.

As I listened to the pain mixed with hope (she was particularly aggressive with the dental floss as she talked about his wife) I was greatly encouraged: the process of forgiveness was in full-swing. The Lord was mopping up the anger and bitterness that threatened her soul.

And as she finished telling me her story, I was reminded of the crux of what is so difficult for all of us in this matter of co-absorbing with Christ someone else's sin: it feels like we're letting them off the hook.

For some reason it feels much better to stew, to be angry, to imagine them being re-paid for all their wrongs and to imagine that we might be privileged to participate in that re-payment..or at least get to see it.

But the reality is this: the anger and bitterness forged by un-forgiveness does not trap or ensnare or keep the other person under our power. Quite the opposite. To hold onto un-forgiveness is to give the other person power over us.

Simply stated: we must forgive others for the sake of our own souls. To do otherwise is only to do damage to ourselves.

Much to our chagrin, if we're honest about many situations where we feel forgiving someone else is necessary, they either don't even realize they hurt us or they don't care. Forgiveness is not something that the offenders in our lives often think that they need.

And so we must do this co-absorbing, forgiving work with Christ, and often with Him only. Forgiveness is often something that has no tangible reconciling benefits. It's greatest and most important benefit is often simply the peace and freedom of our own souls.

Great stuff this morning from my courageous and faithful dental hygenist.

And no cavities.