Forgiveness

Working with kids never fails to teach me endless lessons. Today I admire their ability to so quickly forgive anyone and everyone. 

Almost everyday one of the kids doesn't give their friend the piece of candy they wanted or doesn't choose them to be on their team. That then results to pouting or tears and that's when I get to involve myself in the situation. Almost daily I get to hear an, 'I'm sorry' and an, 'I forgive you' just moments after the conversation even began. Then five minutes later I get to see the same two kids playing together. It's so refreshing. It's so inspiring. 

Imagine a world where we forgave like this. We would be spared so much hurt, as individuals, as a nation, as a population. It's easy to write all of this off as kids being kids and getting upset over small issues, and in the past I have. But the longer I've been around these kids and observed them I've come to the realization that to them these are some of the things that matter most. To them when a friend flippantly says they don't want to be friends anymore because they didn't get candy is a huge deal. To them they are losing a friend and it's hard to see passed that in second grade.

Picture a world where people so easily forgave the things that hurt them and so easily made amends with the people who did it to them. The way Jesus forgives you and me time and time again. 

Today I am so inspired and challenged by the way seven year olds live their lives, I hope you are too. 

Luke 18:17