On page 89, in the opening part of this conversation, I thought that there was a very interesting line.
'I forgive him as a Christian,' said the Ghost. 'But there are some things one can never forget.'
I thought this was interesting because I makes me wonder if we don't do the same thing. Forgive someone because that is the right and Christian thing to do, but never forget it. We hold on to how we were wronged and never let that person forget what they have done to us. This could also be part of what the Dwarf Ghost was also doing, holding a wrong over someone else's head.
Is this one of the "tricky" sins that we can so easily fall prey to?
'I forgive him as a Christian,' said the Ghost. 'But there are some things one can never forget.'
I thought this was interesting because I makes me wonder if we don't do the same thing. Forgive someone because that is the right and Christian thing to do, but never forget it. We hold on to how we were wronged and never let that person forget what they have done to us. This could also be part of what the Dwarf Ghost was also doing, holding a wrong over someone else's head.
Is this one of the "tricky" sins that we can so easily fall prey to?
posted by Ella at 4:41 PM
5 Comments:
Oh, I think this is so true. Guilt is so easy to use as a rhetorical device- I think everyone must do it on a regular basis. (Me especially!) We trap others by pity or through an implied sense of obligation. If we are a little wronged, we feel that it is only fair that we are "righted." Perhaps it is a product our culture, which is so absorbed in and sensative to the rights of the individual. We what our rights-evn if we must blackmail others emotionally to have them.
I absolutely agree with this. Humans are pretty self-absorbed and find it difficult to forget things that may have harmed us or our egos. Even though God can forgive and forget, I'm afraid we are not allowed that luxury. It's probably better this way in some cases. We need to learn from our mistakes and the situations that have hurt us so we can use better judgement for the next time.
How far do you go though? When does the act of remembering a wrong done to you become a sin? Yes we say that it is a good thing to learn from our mistakes but what if the mistake was trusting someone that proved untrustworthy? We can forgive the betrayal as a Christian but in some senses we should remember it and learn from it. Where, though, does that leave us when dealing with that person on a day to day basis? How do you integrate forgiveness and memory?
You can integrate forgiveness and memory with genuine love. For it seems to be the only anecdote. Natalie and Gena are right we use past wrongs as guilt devices and leverage in manupilating the one who did us wrong. True forgiveness apart from this love is impossible. Aynsley posed a serious question, when does remembering a wrong become a sin? Only when it is used in a coercive way!
I agree. In some cases it is necessary to remember the wrongs that were done to you. It isn't healthy to keep forgiving and forgetting if that person hurts you again and again. There is a point where the sin becomes the cowardice that you have that prevents you from standing up for yourself. Its really hard to draw that line between when you should forgive someone and move on and when you need to forgive but remember. It is equally hard to find a scriptural balance between the well known 70 * 7 and Proverbs 26:11.
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