Good hearted people let go of the past. I was thinking about Jesus and the way he reacted to those who treated him badly.
Peter comes to mind; he was one of the inner circle. He knew Jesus up close and personal. He saw Jesus calm the sea, he walked on water, he saw the miracles of raising Lazarus from the dead, feeding the 5000 and he saw Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration and heard God the Father’s voice from heaven. And then…a young girl by a fire questioned him about his relationship with Jesus and Peter denied knowing Him. The heartbreak for both men must have been unfathomable! The betrayed and the betrayer.
Jesus reached out to Peter after the resurrection and restored Him to a place of usefulness. That’s grace!
Have you ever done something that would make others feel that you were unusable? Have you been judged for your past transgressions?
Consider the Apostle Paul, as Saul of Tarsus he persecuted the Christians. He had arrest warrants drawn up for their imprisonment, he stood holding the coats of the Pharisees at the stoning of Stephen. And God…found him usable!
Paul wrote to Philemon about a runaway slave named Onesimus. He instructed Philemon to look beyond his past and find him usable.
“I remember you in my prayers. And I always thank my God for you. 5 I thank God because I hear about the love you have for all of God’s holy people and the faith you have in the Lord Jesus. 6 I pray that the faith you share will make you understand every blessing we have in Christ. 7 My brother, you have shown love to God’s people, and your help has greatly encouraged them. What a great joy and encouragement that has been to me.
8 There is something that you should do. And because of the authority I have in Christ, I feel free to command you to do it. 9 But I am not commanding you; I am asking you to do it out of love. I, Paul, am an old man now, and I am a prisoner for Christ Jesus. 10 I am asking you for my son Onesimus. He became my son while I was in prison. 11 In the past he was useless to you. But now he has become useful for both you and me…17 If you accept me as your friend, then accept Onesimus back. Welcome him like you would welcome me. 18 If he has done any wrong to you or owes you anything, charge that to me.” Philemon 1:4-18
Is there a Peter, a Paul or an Onesimus in your life?
Live a “graceful” life and find them useful. We shouldn’t do any less from them than Jesus has done for us!