John Macduff Collection: MacDuff, John - Mind Of Jesus 1870: 04 Forgieness of Injuries

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John Macduff Collection: MacDuff, John - Mind Of Jesus 1870: 04 Forgieness of Injuries



TOPIC: MacDuff, John - Mind Of Jesus 1870 (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 04 Forgieness of Injuries

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FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES



"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."



"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.''—Luke 23:34.



Many a death-struggle has been made to save a friend. A dying Savior gathers up His expiring breath to plead for His foes! At the climax of His own woe, and of human ingratitude—man-forsaken, and God-deserted—His faltering voice mingles with the shout of His murderers—"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" Had the faithless Peter been there, could he have wondered at the reply to a former question—"Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him—until seven times?" Jesus said unto him, "I say not unto you, Until seven times; but, until seventy times seven," (Matt. 18:21, 22).



Superiority to insult and disgrace, with some, proceeds from a callous and indifferent temperament—a cold, phlegmatic, stoical insensibility, alike to kindness or unkindness. It was not so with Jesus. The tender sensibilities of His holy nature rendered Him keenly sensitive to ingratitude and injury, whether this was manifested in the malice of undisguised enmity, or the treachery of trusted friendship. Perhaps to a noble nature the latter of these is the more deeply wounding. Many are inclined to forgive an open and unmasked antagonist, who are not so willing to forget or forgive heartless faithlessness, or unrequited love. But see, too, in this respect, the conduct of the blessed Redeemer! Mark how He deals with His own disciples who had basely forsaken Him and fled, and that, too, in the hour He most needed their sympathy! No sooner does He rise from the dead than He hastens to disarm their fears and to assure them of an unaltered and unalterable affection. "Go tell my brethren," is the first message He sends; "Peace be unto you," is the salutation at the first meeting; "Children!" is the word with which He first greets them on the shores of Tiberias. Even Joseph, (the Old Testament type and pattern of generous forgiveness,) when he makes himself known to his brethren, recalls the bitter thought, "Whom you sold into Egypt." The true Joseph, when He reveals Himself to His disciples, buries in oblivion the memory of bygone faithlessness. He meets them with a benediction. He leaves them at His ascension with the same—"He lifted up His hands and blessed them!"



Reader! follow in all this the spirit of your Lord and Master. In rising from the study of His holy example, seek to feel that with you there should be no such name, no such word, as enemy! Harbor no resentful thought, indulge in no bitter recrimination. Surrender yourself to no sullen fretfulness. Let "the law of kindness" be in your heart. Put the best construction on the failings of others. Make no injurious comments on their frailties; no uncharitable insinuations. "Consider yourself, lest you also be tempted." When disposed at any time to cherish an unforgiving spirit towards a brother, think, if your God had retained His anger forever, where would you have been? If He, the Infinite One, who might have spurned you forever from His presence, has had patience with you, and forgiven you all, will you, on account of some petty grievance which your calmer moments would pronounce unworthy of a thought, indulge in the look of cold estrangement, the unrelenting word, or unforgiving deed? "If any man has a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you."