Forgiving Strangers

As I was sitting in my freshly manicured lawn, in the bosom of my quaint and lovely neighborhood, a former inmate walked by who lives in the nicest house on our street. Legislation allows gorgeous 6-bed homes in child-friendly neighborhoods to become half-way homes for newly-free, recently incarcerated people. It happened when I and another neighbor were newly post partum and each had 3 little boys, our other neighbors were also in a vulnerable stage of life, being elderly. You can guess how I felt. They often don't have cars so they must walk or bike by my front yard sidewalk frequently.

This 6-foot, large man with a ponytail walked by me today and commented on my sweater, "Your shirt says 'fearfully wonderfully made,' and I caught you giving me an evil look today." Though stirred up and shaken, I softened seeing his genuine hurt, as a little boy, and zipped up my emotion at the realization that he knew scripture without any citation. I admitted my wrong, "but, if you're a brother in faith then I forgive you for whatever you did." He lit up with anger & aggression, "Forgive me? Forgive ME!" "I haven't done anything to you and you don't know what I've done, you don't know anything about me."

I maintain my calm composure, "But, do you forgive me?" His countenance changed. "Do you forgive me even though you don't know what I have done?" He understood my gift and the depth of my affection.

Now this conversation never happened. The man walked by and I considered running up to him, pointed at the Bible I had open with joy & excitement to fold him in, but instead I kept my cool & reserved demeanor so as to appear sane & maintaining my safe distance.

However, this imaginary conversation is an allegory to Christ's forgiveness.