The same Jesus that died for me, died for you too!

This is such a tough one for me. I didn't even want to write about it. I have wrestled it. Tried to block it out of my mind and ever day this week this topic has kept coming up in front of me.

I am a forgiving person. I have never had trouble with it, until now. I have just felt so wronged by a couple of people who knowingly hurt me. My body is weak and says "no" to the forgiveness. Then my spirit says "yes, they need forgiveness more than anyone Janet. They have done these things because of their own hurt and confusion in life."

A verse kept coming to my mind this morning; "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you".

I know someone who had a sister killed by a drunk driver. When his dad hugged him after they heard the news, his dad said "Scotty, the same Jesus that died for you, died for that drunk driver". What an unbelievable testimony that was to me to hear someone say that in the middle of their agony and pain.

All week long I kept hearing the same things in my head, "Janet, Jesus loves prostitutes too. And I would laugh to myself wondering where that came from. "He loves people that wreck homes and destroy marriages. He loves the immoral ones, the unfair one, the hurtful ones". And I knew deep down in my heart what was heading my way was a day of conviction and having to lay down this cross and forgive. Sometimes its hard to know where to start to forgive.

I have made many mistakes in life. Disappointed my mother and family more than once. Probably yelled at my kids when I shouldn't have. Maybe wasn't there for a friend in need like I needed to be. At the same time I have been hurt by words, events and things that other people have done willingly and unwillingly. And while I wanted in my flesh to place judgement on them it isn't my place. I remember the song that we sang in Sunday school when I was little. It went like this. "Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white they are precious in his sight." Once we grow up our colors become less of the issue and our individual battles, problems, addictions and mistakes become what we have a harder time dealing with. Even more so we tend to be judgmental of others with problems. Next time you drive downtown and see the homeless, the drugs addicts and alcoholics, the prostitutes, or you deal with someone nasty in your life at home or work just remember that the same Jesus that died for you, died for them too.