God wants us to be willing to forgive others as he has forgiven us. "This is well and good," we may be thinking, "but I’ve really been hurt and disappointed in life." "I’m tired of two-faced people." "Phonies go home," I sometimes feel like shouting. "How hard I try to be nice, and I know that I meet people more than halfway."

How blind we all are. How blind to our own inadequacies. So often we are the two-faced phonies. We frequently see ourselves through the eyes of our mother or father - people who understandably have some difficulty seeing our faults. Believe me, we have faults. If we were able to read the minds of others, how painfully evident our inadequacies would become.

Forgiveness is something we need both from God and from one another. Those around us also need to be touched by our forgiving love. Someone who abused us may very well not deserve our love but needs it. Someone who irritates us by an obnoxious personality does not deserve our love but needs it. Someone who has shunned our every effort of kindness does not deserve another effort but might need it. "But how hard it is to love some people," we protest. Who said it would be easy? Crucifixion was never sought. Being a follower of Christ is not a snap. When it becomes easy, we probably were sidetracked somewhere and are now following another leader.

In our relationships with one another, in our families and our church, we must bury the hatchet. When we do, let’s not leave the handle above the ground. God knows we need forgiveness. I need it. You need it. We all need it. Forgiveness brings healing ... with God ... with others ... and within ourselves. Look at the cross again and see the greatest sermon on love ever preached, then think, Jesus loves me. Look around, and before too long you’ll find someone who really needs your forgiving love. Now there is but one thing left to do ... give it!