sunday's scuds (april 28, 2007)

Yesterday Dwight wrapped up the No Strings Attached series. The whole series has been about forgiveness and...wow...just wow. Just a few minutes into Dwight's talk, he stepped aside and showed a Nooma video (Luggage). Here are a few of the scuds from that one:

• "Everyone I know has wounds."
• "I don't want what somebody else did to me to determine how my life is going to be."
• "Whatever wrong was done to you...God saw it."
• "Don't take revenge. Leave room for God...It's a nice idea but not easy to do."
• "Revenge is like saying to God: I don't trust you with this situation."
• "Revenge doesn't satisfy, does it? Have you really ever evened the score? Revenge doesn't work."
• "None of us have clean hands. We've all wronged someone...but with Jesus, there is no condemnation."
• "When I forgive somebody, I'm giving them what God has given me."
• "If he's hitting your or you're being abused, you need to get out...now."
• "Forgiving doesn't always mean forgetting."
• "To forgive somebody means that I actually wish them well."
• "When I forgive somebody and set them free, I'm really setting myself free."
• "God didn't create you to carry that stuff around. He created you to be free."

Then Dwight brought it home...

• "Forgiveness is our responsibility." I don't need to wait until the offender asks. They may never ask."
• "Forgiveness is not forgetting. It's not 'excusing the wrong.'"
• "Forgiveness is dealing with the pain and leaving the other person to God."
• "It doesn't mean going on with life like nothing happened."
• "You can't afford to wait to forgive someone till you feel like it...you may never feel like it."
• "Time heals all wounds is not true. They can become infected over time."

His main points:

1. Forgiveness is our responsibility
2. Ask God to reveal people and hurts
3. Realize that forgiveness is the first step
4. Determine the boundaries
5. Maintain short accounts

For more on forgiveness, check out:

• John 8:11, 51
• Luke 11:4, 15:30, 2
• Acts 8:18-23
• Romans 1:5, 4:6-8, 12:19-21
• Ephesians 4:32
• Hebrews 10:17