Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots. Luke 23:34
“When we are personally injured our world does not suddenly become our injury. We have a larger view of our life and our place in God’s world. We see God; we see ourselves in his hands. And we see our injurer as more than that one who has imposed on us or hurt us. We recognize his humanity, his pitiful limitations (shared with us), and we also see him under God. This vision, and the grace that comes with it, enables the prayer: “Father forgive them, for they do not really understand what they are doing.” And in fact they don’t, as Jesus well knew when he prayed this prayer over his murderers.”
Dallas Willard in The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God (New York: HarperCollins, 1998) 176.
The prevailing thinking in our world is to avenge those who wrong us. We want to hold them accountable. As followers of Jesus we get to do the opposite toward them. We show love and forgiveness because we share humanity with them.
God will be the righteous judge. So, we must not see ourselves as “good” and them “bad” for we need God’s grace equally. This relates to generosity because we live in a world where we are injured from all sides. Friend and foe wrong us.
What should we do? Let’s not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good by echoing the prayer of Jesus to all who share humanity with us and wrong us. “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”
No only do we sow grace and mercy generously with this posture, we position ourselves to receive it richly from God. For the measure we extend to others will be extended to us (Matthew 7:2). Share grace and mercy geneorously in 2022.