The Charlie Brown Syndrome (was RE: Open Letter To This List)

• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

Lynna Lunsford wrote:
> 
<snip>
> As for as the other (injured) party,....... Forgive..........!
> Jesus told them what? 70 times 7 in one day???
> A little quick math anyone? 490 times in one day we must forgive the same
> person for doing the same thing , over, and over, an over.
> Get IT?  No matter what they do to you....
> No matter what they say about you....
> No matter how many times...
> Even If you think they did it on purpose...
> YOUR Responsibility is to forgive.
> Dont you worry about them, If they dont repent, their punishment will be
> more than suffiient !
> God is THE JUDGE.....

Sis I agree about the injured party (she is now in another church and
has forgiven those that did her wrong). But that brings up a new
question I would like to hear the lists opinion on.

I was asked this question by a teen in a Sunday School class. We are
supposed to forgive (up to 490 times per day per person per offense - or
in practical terms we are to always forgive), but are we supposed to
"allow others to do us wrong". The example she gave was that she told a
"friend" a secret and the friend spilled the beans. Now she has forgiven
her but she wondered about trusting her again. My response was to slowly
allow the girl to work up the trust again, but dont just ignorantly
treat the situation like nothing happened.

My analogy was Charlie Brown and Lucy and the football. Every year the
same thing occurs. Now should we be like Charile or should maybe we fake
the kick and see if Lucy is realy serious? 

The real questiosn is do we allow people to get in the position to keep
doing us wrong or do we use wisdom to avoid the situation (which in a
sense is judging the person)?? Then again if we know a person will fail
in a situation and dont avoid the situation are we placing a stumbling
block in that persons way??

Bill (I love the questions those teens can grill you with) Clifton
woodrow_@geocities.com
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/1226/index.html