Passage Eighteen: Forgiveness
Christ said that we will be forgiven
To the extent that we forgive,
And that we will be condemned
To the extent that we condemn.
Perhaps this is because
Not even God can spare us
From being what we become.
Perhaps our rewards
And our punishments will be this.
To be what we become,
And to be with others like ourselves.
If we reap as we have sown,
What could be more just?
But justice
Is not the end of it.
Justice is not the point of it.
Forgiveness is His to grant,
To whom all owe everything.
We do not possess
The wisdom or the right
To judge one another.
To us it is given to forgive,
For our own good.
If I am triumphant,
I may have won the battle,
But I have missed the point.
There are no enemies here.
There are only those in need
And those who can help.
We call upon the best in ourselves
In dealing with the worst in ourselves.
We call upon the best in ourselves
In dealing with the worst in others.
I teach my children
That what is needed, sometimes,
Is to be more than fair,
That what is needed, sometimes,
Is to be generous.
Fighting to defend ourselves,
We lose the joy
Of all we would protect.
Curled up in a ball,
The world will eat away at you
From all around the edges.
Stand up and face the world,
Not as an adversary,
But with a heart to help,
And you will find
Generosity is its own reward
And your best defense.
