Regifting
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13
“Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Matthew 18:32-35
I know it seems odd to write about regifting close to more than two months after Christmas when the thought is most common, but it simply wasn’t time for this devotional then.
I think by now everyone knows the concept of regifting – giving someone else a gift that you received. I was surprised at the number of articles debating the etiquette of regifting—only a few were against it; those that were for it had a few conditions, the main one being that it is not to be done within the same social/family group. In other words, do not give your sister-in-law something that your mother-in-law gave you, even if the present is so much more appropriate it for her because it’s her size, favorite color, matches her décor. Other than the occasional white elephant gift exchange where it is totally acceptable and expected to regift something, I don’t think that I have regifted anything. I am more the type who will genuinely be touched by the thought, put a sincere and thankful smile, and then put it in my closet to dig out years down the road to give to Goodwill, hoping that the giver won’t ask me about it. Thankfully my relatives live out of town so it hasn’t happened yet!
There is, however, one thing that we are exhorted to regift because we have received it—grace and forgiveness (well, I guess those are two things). Friends, if we are truly living as Christ calls us to live, we will extend grace and forgiveness to those who have hurt us, even if they lack remorse, even if they don’t take accountability for what they have done.
I’m not saying that this is easy—oh, heck no. We live in a broken world, and each of us have been a victim to some degree or another of that brokenness. On an extreme side, it has been only the power of God’s love that has gotten us through the hurt or shame of the act or acts that have been perpetrated on us. Some of us still carry the hurt and shame, even though we did nothing wrong.
On a much less extreme side, we still face people who are disagreeable, rude, or just difficult to get along with. Whether it’s because of their actions or words (or both), sometimes it’s just so darn challenging to get along with them (I know the Lord said we are to love our neighbor—do we also have to like our neighbor? If so, I really need to pray about a couple of folks!). We know that we should extend grace to the person standing in front of us, talking down to us…or to that co-worker who makes our work life miserable…or to the spouse or child who knows exactly which buttons to push and how hard.
But how are we supposed to extend forgiveness when we can’t easily find it in our hearts to do so?
Number one on the list: you pray. You come to the Lord with a contrite heart, acknowledging that you know that you are supposed to forgive the debts of others, just as your debts are forgiven, but that you can’t get to that point yet. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you get there. He knows that you are human; He will honor your request if it is asked in sincerity.
Secondly, thank Him for the grace that He has given you. God didn’t have to send His son to die on a cross for the forgiveness of our sin but He did. Jesus didn’t have to step out of heaven to suffer as He did and to die a criminal’s death, but He did. Were it not for His sacrifice, we would be lost forever, and this world would be the best we would ever experience.
Lastly, with a sincere heart, ask the Lord to allow you to see those who have hurt you as they truly are—pitiable and in need of His grace. Do not put yourself in a haughty position and pray as the Pharisee in Christ’s parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector (“God, I thank you that I am not like other people…”). No, friend, the persons who have hurt, wronged, or slighted you are products of this broken world, and most likely have experienced pain not unlike the one they inflicted upon you. Knowing this doesn’t nullify the hurt or damage, but it does allow you to have a glimpse of empathy and maybe even understanding. It humanizes them, and rightfully so, and equips you with a potential ability to relate to them through their suffering. It also shifts the proverbial balance of power, enabling you to extend to them something they may not be able to extend to themselves—love.
Prayer Requests
Prayers for:
Jane Hasty, who suffered a mild stroke, causing her to lose her speech, although the doctors expect a full recovery. Pray for her grandson Clay as well
Carolyn Carter, whose health is failing and is experiencing hearing loss
The 20-year-old niece of Cheri and Kenny Williams, who is receiving radiation treatment for a tumor that is causing her retina to be detached
Beloved, you have been given a gift purchased by the blood of the Lamb—the gift of forgiveness. Recycle it, reuse it, regift it, for that’s what we are called to do.
Quotes
“The more fascinated we become with the toys of this world, the more we forget that there’s another world to come.” --- A.W. Tozer
“Some people are hurting so much that you have to do more than preach a message to them. You have to be a message to them.”