During a recent Servant Leadership conference, the speaker chose to end the conference with a teaching about forgiving others. Why would he do that? Because when we are serving alongside one another, we are likely to grate on each other. The book of Proverbs refers to it as a sharpening process: “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

As we serve together, times of friction occur and when that happens, we can sometimes pick up an offense. What you do with that offense is up to you, friend, but holding on to an offense is like putting yourself in a prison. And you are the only one who has the key to freedom.

Each one of us is a work in progress.

I am reminded of the story of an old sculptor. One day, someone pointed out a marble lion and asked the sculptor how he could sculpt such a beautiful thing from the slab he started with. The sculptor said, “That’s easy. I just chip away the bits that don’t look like a lion.” That is what God is doing with us while we serve alongside one another. Be thankful. You can be conformed to the image of Christ. In that process, the person that really grates on your nerves… well… God is using them to help you. Let us be quick to forgive. God can forgive each one of us of a debt we could never pay. Let us be quick to show that same grace and mercy to others. I know, it can be hard, but you know the key to forgiving others? Pray for them the way that you pray for yourself.

Life Lesson: Forgive

Without forgiving, you can never experience the fullness of life God has in store for you.

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David McGee is the founder of Cross The Bridge Ministries as well as a pastor, teacher and author.  He may be contacted using the form here.