From "Your Immortal Reality" by Gary Renard
In the 1880s there was a rich rancher who lived in Texas. He was not a particularly spiritual cowboy, but he was very good at manifesting abundance--making some of his neighbors suspect that the two things weren't necessarily connected. He did claim to be a Christian sort of, but his actions in the world made this claim a very doubtful one.
One day, a poor farmer who had no food sneaked on to the rich rancher's land and stole one of his chickens so his family could eat. He was caught by one of the ranch hands and brought to the rancher. There were a lot of things the rancher could have said, but all he said was, “Hang ‘im! It'll teach ‘im a lesson.”
A couple of years later, a man from Mexico was trespassing on this rancher's land. He was very poor and hoping to find a new life. What he found was the rancher's men, who took him to their boss. After looking the trespasser over, all the rancher said was, “Hang ‘im! It'll teach ‘im a lesson.”
There were many episodes like this in the rich rancher's life, in which he never stopped to put himself in the others people's shoes but simply reacted in anger and judged and condemned them, usually ending with a phrase “Hang ‘im! It'll teach ‘im a lesson.”
Then one night the rancher’s body died, and he saw himself going up toward the pearly gates of Heaven. The rancher was hoping that no one would recognize him and maybe he could just walk right in. But just before he got to the gate, Saint Peter stepped in front of him and said, “Wait a minute. Jesus wants to talk to you.”
Now the rancher was very worried. He remembered some of the things he had done in his life, and here he was about to be judged by Jesus himself! Suddenly, the rancher was shaking in his boots. Jesus appeared, walked slowly up to the rancher, looked him right in the eyes, and then said to Saint Peter, “Forgive ‘im! It'll teach ‘im a lesson.”
Forgiveness is worth it but forgiveness is work and is not easy. There is no substitute for practicing forgiveness. Give forgiveness for free. Needing to forgive is part of living. Forgiveness skills may not be perfect, but persistent practice will bring welcome results. What if you wonder if you have forgiven? Don’t delay and suffer. Repetition is important for forgiving. Repetition is important. You’ll make good progress. Be careful and watch your judgments. Never stop forgiving.
The ego is wonderful, it’s where you get to do your thing. Think and relax; let it be. Without wholeness, something is missing. Always welcome new problems for they are part of having fun in the universe. If someone needs to forgive you, let them know.
Numbers 14:20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked.
Numbers 15:26 The whole Israelite community and the foreigners residing among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.
Micah 7:18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
Mark 3:28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter,
Luke 6:37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
John 20:23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
2 Corinthians 2:7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
01/22/23