Shut The Door!

Forgetting those things which are behind. Phillipians 3:13

My hometown in South Georgia is way below the so called “gnat line” and right in the middle of “mosquito country”! It also happens to be pretty hot down there most of the late spring, summer, and early fall. When I was growing up, most homes had a screen door in addition to the actual front or side door. In mild mornings and cool evenings, the screen door was used to keep out the offending gnats, mosquitoes, and other critters while allowing a gentle whaft of fresh air inside.

The three words used most in our home when I was growing up were “shut the door.” It was easy to run inside for something and leave the door standing wide open while the insects followed. When we finally got a window air conditioner, those words shut the door were heard constantly. It didn’t matter the season, as in summer we would be letting the cool air out, and in winter, we would be letting the cool air in!!

During these past few years, it has occurred to me that forgiveness is much like shutting the door. The Bible tells us that the greater the offense, the greater the need to forgive the offender in order to go on with our life. Forgiveness shuts the door on the past offenses, hurts, and bitterness.

There are many things that can be said about forgiveness, but I tend to like the old saying that says, “The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but never forget!” Dr. Martin Luther KIng reminds us that “Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.” He also added, “If you can’t forgive and forget, pick one.” In Hebrews 8:12, God says to us, “I will be merciful toward their inquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

In order to help me shut the door on some of the things that cause me problems, I decided to explore what shutting the door is not! First, shutting the door does not mean that we have to pretend that the injustice, offense, hurt never happened. Lewis Smedes says there are three levels of forgiving and shutting the door. First, we have to remember that those that caused the offense are human just like us. Next, we surrender our right to get even (this is the hardest part). Finally, we have to revise our feelings toward the other party involved.

Next, shutting the door does not mean forgetting that a wrong was done. For instance, let’s say a college coach was caught engaging in activites that embarrssed the respective university. When the activity is exposed, the coach can confess what they’ve done and ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness may be granted, but they will still lose their job. Shutting the door does not cancel all the negative consequences of our actions, and it certainly doesn’t mean people will forget.

Finally, shutting the door does not mean that there must be a total reconciliation as if nothing ever happened. C. S Lewis said, “Everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive. Then, it becomes difficult.” Peter asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive and Jesus said, “Seventy times seven.” That’s 490 times! That’s a lot of sin and a lot of forgiveness.

Shutting the door is not optional for the Christian, but rather it is a necessary part of our faith. Forgivness is a miracle which, when we receive it, it is imperative that we pass it on to others. The best incentive to shutting the door is to remember how many times Jesus has forgiven us, the sins he has covered for us, and the punishment we might have deserved but because of God’s grace, we were spared.

Mark Twain once said, “Forgivness is the fragrance the violet gives to the heel that crushed it.” We are never more like Jesus than when we forgive and shut that door!