REAL FORGIVENESS

After 30 years working in a dairy I went from a general laborer to a Plant Foreman. I was very happy with myself going from $.50 an hour to $150.00 a week. This was in the 1960's and that was good money.

There were hard times to come. I got laid off. After I got laid off, I prayed that God would send someone to me with a job offer. By this time I knew that it would have to be God because of me being handicapped, there were not many openings for the handicapped. God answered my prayers! A man that I worked with come over to my house and told me that there was a job opening at another dairy and the boss wanted to see me.

I got the job! On this job we got (2) 15min breaks in a break room, that had a long table. I would go to the end and read my bible. At first I sat by myself, but after a while people began to come down to my end of the table. I did`t know that the boss did`t like this. I did`t find out till he fired me.

I had asked to be take off work to go to a church service. My boss said yes, I had asked this two weeks in advance. When I went to the church and came back to work the boss said that I was fired. I asked him why? He said for taking off. Then I told him that he said it was ok when I had asked him about it two week ago. He told me to go pick up your pay.

As I drove home the longer I drove the mader I got. I was so angry that I wanted to kill him and I knew this was not of God. I kept thinking of how this had taken my living away and I wanted to take his. I started to pray and walked the floor and after 3 hours I felt a peace. The next day I got a call from a man with whom I had worked. He said that the previous boss was in the hospital. So I called my Preacher and asked him to go and see him, but he said that was my job. I was the one that was angry and needed to forgive him.

When I got to the hospital, the boss had one leg hung up by a cable with a look of fear on his face. I came in with a smile and said how are you old boy? The fear left him and we talked for a while. He said since he had been in the hospital he been watching the 700Club and he was sorry for he had done to me.

I have found that forgiveness not only sets you free when you forgive someone but it also sets the offender free. No one can pay you back for the injuries you go through in life. No matter if you do to them the same injury they did to you. Your revenge will never be satisfied and it will eat you up. God provided a way of escape from the burdens of anger, bitterness and unforgiveness and that is to forgive the offender as Jesus has forgiven you.