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Friday, February 25, 2011

FORGIVNESS -CHARLES R. SWINDOLL

February 25, 2011

God's Required Course:

Forgiveness
by Charles R. Swindoll

Luke 23:34

This is a true story, told to me by a young seminary

student I met years ago. I'll call him Aaron (not his

real name).

Late one spring Aaron was praying about having a

significant ministry the following summer. He asked

God for a position to open up on some church staff or

Christian organization. Nothing happened. Summer

arrived, still nothing. Days turned into weeks, and

Aaron finally faced reality---he needed any job he

could find. He checked the want ads, and the only

thing that seemed a possibility was driving a bus in

the south side of Chicago . . . nothing to brag about,

but it would help with tuition in the fall. After learning

the route, he was on his own---a rookie driver in a

dangerous section of the city. It wasn't long before

Aaron realized just how dangerous his job really was.

A small gang of tough kids spotted the young driver

and began to take advantage of him. For several

mornings in a row, they got on, walked right past him

without paying, ignored his warnings, and rode until

they decided to get off . . . all the while making smart

remarks to him and others on the bus. Finally, he

decided that had gone on long enough.

The next morning, after the gang got on as usual,

Aaron saw a policeman on the next comer, so he pulled

over and reported the offense. The officer told them to

pay or get off. They paid . . . but, unfortunately, the

policeman got off. And they stayed on. When the bus

turned another corner or two, the gang assaulted the

young driver.

When he came to, blood was all over his shirt, two teeth

were missing, both eyes were swollen, his money was

gone, and the bus was empty. After returning to the

terminal and being given the weekend off, our friend

went to his little apartment, sank onto his bed, and

stared at the ceiling in disbelief. Resentful thoughts

swarmed his mind. Confusion, anger, and disillusionment

added fuel to the fire of his physical pain. He spent a fitful

night wrestling with his Lord.

How can this be? Where's God in all of this? I genuinely

want to serve Him. I prayed for a ministry. I was willing

to serve Him anywhere, doing anything . . . and this is the

thanks I get!

On Monday morning, Aaron decided to press charges.

With the help of the officer who had encountered the

gang and several who were willing to testify as witnesses

against the thugs, most of them were rounded up and

taken to the local county jail. Within a few days, there

was a hearing before the judge.

In walked Aaron and his attorney plus the angry gang

members who glared across the room in his direction.

Suddenly he was seized with a whole new series of

thoughts. Not bitter ones but compassionate ones! His

heart went out to the guys who had attacked him.

Under the Spirit's control, he no longer hated them--

-he pitied them. They needed help, not more hate.

What could he do? Or say?

Suddenly, after there had been a plea of guilty, Aaron

(to the surprise of his attorney and everybody else in

the courtroom) stood to his feet and requested

permission to speak.

"Your honor, I would like you to total up all the days

of punishment against these men---all the time

sentenced against them---and I request that you

allow me to go to jail in their place."

The judge didn't know whether to spit or wind his

watch. Both attorneys were stunned. As Aaron looked

over at the gang members (whose mouths and eyes

looked like saucers), he smiled and said quietly, "It's

because I forgive you."

The dumbfounded judge, when he reached a level of

composure, said rather firmly: "Young man, you're

out of order. This sort of thing has never been done

before!" To which the young man replied with genius

insight:

"Oh, yes, it has, your honor . . . yes, it has. It happened

over nineteen centuries ago when a man from Galilee

paid the penalty that all mankind deserved."

And then, for the next three or four minutes, without

interruption, he explained how Jesus Christ died on our

behalf, thereby proving God's love and forgiveness. He

was not granted his request, but the young man visited

the gang members in jail, led most of them to faith in Christ,

and began a significant ministry to many others in south

Chicago.

He passed a tough exam. And, as a result, a large door of

ministry---the very thing he'd prayed for---opened up

before him. Through the pain of abuse and assault, Aaron

began to get a handle on serving others.

Forgiveness is not an elective in the curriculum of servanthood.

It is a required course, and the exams are always tough to pass.

Forgiving (like giving) improves our serving!

Excerpted from Improving Your Serve: The Art of Unselfish Living, Copyright ©

1981 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved

worldwide. Used by permission.

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