Illuminating Power of Words: The Jesus I Know
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Think Twice
Think twice about the provenance you carry regarding evil, sin and the role of forgiveness. The influence of what arises within has roots in belief. Some beliefs about forgiveness are embedded in justice, or retribution, or the mind frame that we should forgive so we can be forgiven, or to expect repentance for the application of forgiveness. Jesus is recorded as saying, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus embraced a loving God. God loves the good and the bad, for God is love (Universal Christ, pg. 152). Jesus demonstrated love for his crucifiers. His request was forgiveness. Jesus modeled forgiveness in the harshest of circumstances. The crucifixion of Jesus included 2 other thieves, one of whom admitted his crimes were serious in nature. Jesus offered paradise to this thief, who, by some accounts, had a change of heart. It took courage and humility to admit mistakes, to change from joining the crowd in mocking Jesus to recognizing Jesus’ message.
I was raised in retribution; I shared that retribution with my children. I did not comprehend the nurturing role of love as modeled by Jesus. I projected the punishment and reactions to sins in the way I was raised. Think Twice about God’s forgiveness. Viewing forgiveness through a belief in a vengeful God creates different outcomes than viewing forgiveness through a belief in a loving God. I took Luke 17:3–4 too far. We are asked to forgive, over and over, if they repent, and to rebuke until there is repentance. Rebuke contains a sharpness to its reprimand, until there is repentance. Yet, on the cross, Jesus asked God to forgive, for they know not what they do. If one is not aware of what they do, what then is repentance? An unchanged heart or a changed one? If one says I’m sorry, have they had a change of heart? If they own inappropriate shame and guilt, are they open to a change of heart?
There are 5 forgiveness parables of Luke (the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6–9); the bent over woman (Luke 13:10–13); the lost sheep (Luke 15:4–7); the lost coin (Luke15:8–10); and the greatest forgiveness parable of all, the prodigal son (Luke 15:11–32). Jesus taught forgiveness, through these and other parables. He used the mental framework of the sinners to teach new ways of thinking and acting. He utilized paradoxes to bring opposing views together, to tie together earthly conflicts with divine inspiration. His focus was on healing transformation, not punishment. Luke 4:18–19 ties in this loving focus for justice. Jesus had good news for the poor, through The Spirit, he was to help the blind to see (we don’t know what we don’t know), to work towards freeing the oppressed, His charge, through The Spirit, was to take up the cause of the downtrodden. Repentance, then, through the lens of a loving God, with Jesus modeling with the sinners, the poor, the blind and the oppressed, becomes providing love to support another in overcoming one’s thinking, one’s belief, one’s circumstances. Jesus’ message, love enough to forgive, teach a new way of “being”. Love and model a way of being, so the other has a change of heart, so they too can be in paradise. Think twice about forgiveness, what creates a change of heart? Jesus did not deny accountability, a change of heart accepts accountability. The thief on the cross was aware of his sins.
Loving forgiveness, then recognizes the good from the bad AND the bad in the good……minimizing hypocrisy, cognitive dissonance, the need to hide our sins and diminishes the need for the words in Matthew 7: 1–5, which speaks of not pointing to the speck in another’s eye when you have a log in your own. We are all in need of forgiveness, loving forgiveness, to change our hearts and live with accountability.
The theme of my writings embed mystical Christ: Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness. The Power of Words to heal.
Gifts from the opposites (there is no light without darkness) = Love. Jesus taught us love.
Gifts from paradox (2 differing truths embrace truth) = Acceptance. Jesus taught us acceptance.
Gifts from pausing (process the emotions and thoughts, reconnect to higher divine beingness, go and sin no more, let go) = Forgiveness. Jesus taught us forgiveness.
If you are struggling with unworthiness, the need to forgive and replace hatred with love reach out to trusted sources. Become free of what weighs on you. Kathy Mortensen: Minister; Intuitive Guide; Master Reiki Practitioner; Certified Master Practitioner of Mental and Emotional Release®. Email: whenbelongingshines2021@gmail.com
