Welcome to SirPatrick.com, the home webspace of Patrick J. Frank. You will find christian inspirational poetry, online and in book form (Reflection of Glory) and many other useful tools here.
The third installment of the Pirates movies didn't feel like it lived up to it's billing. Perhaps it was the high bar set by the previous two and it merely met those expectations, or being as it didn't totally blow us away it unfairly had been judged harshly. Regardless, it's a good entertaining movie and it's probably not on par with the first but more in line with the second. Anyway, enough of that, I won't ramble on here... just pick it up and watch it for yourself ;)
On to the subject at hand; forgiveness.(a,b) The moment I heard this line something within me cringed. The thought of having to earn forgiveness goes against the true core of what forgiveness is all about... the word itself even has the word GIVE in it. Forgiveness is something offered, something given to another... it simply can't be earned. In the world of men, we take on this thought-line all the time. People harm us or do us wrong and we hold grudges until we "feel" like letting them go or until the person earns it back... whatever "it" might be. We become so hard inside(c) that forgiveness doesn't even cross our thoughts... when it is forgiveness that will set us free from the decaying power of those wrongful acts.
As someone who has been wronged, the best medicine for the soul is to forgive. It's not a feeling, it's a choice. Forgiveness never comes easy, though the more you learn to forgive the easier it comes. Forgiveness brings incredible freedom; yet, no one really feels like forgiving someone... it goes against human nature. Often it is the things that go against the normal line of thinking and our feelings that are best for our lives... like forgiveness.
It's not up to us to make sure the wrong doer pays for their actions(d), it's our responsibility to forgive(e) and move on with our lives. Earn forgiveness? No, just give it away.
