“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32

My cousin Floyd came to live with us when he was about nine years old, both his parents having died in the tuberculosis epidemic of the 1930s. When he was 75 he had a major bout with cancer. The chemotherapy had done a number on his mind, but the day I visited him he was able to recall an old hurt.

One of the first friends he made after moving in with us, he said, was a big old red rooster. “I just loved that old rooster,” he said. But one day he went out behind the barn and found the rooster stone dead–cause unknown. “When I told Aunt Elvie (my mother),” she said I had killed him.” His voice broke as he said, “There’s no way I would have killed that old rooster.”

From the way he told the story, I knew that, after all those years, he was still hurt at being falsely accused. For one thing, he called my mother “Aunt Elvie.” He had always called her “Mama,” like the rest of us kids. I reminded him that we all make mistakes, even as good and loving a person as Mama was. I didn’t have to remind him he’d made a few of his own. His silence and the tears that rimmed his eyes told me that he understood–and forgave.

Forgiving is a supernatural gift of God. Thank His holy name that He has given us the ability to forgive and be healed, even years after the offense!

[“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” Col. 3:12-15 NKJV].

From Face to Face: A Daily Reflection of Your Life in Christ, Copyright 1995 by Jim Cox (who is now with the Lord). 2nd edition, ebook published by by Under His Wings, 2015. Used here with permission, [bracketed quotation added]. This excellent daily devotional has a year’s worth of one-page-per-day biblical reflections (with one for each weekend). It is available for $4.99 on Amazon Kindle here. Peggy Cox can be contacted at redbirdmama42@yahoo.com

Honorable Mention

Helping Others Overcome Addictions Webinar: This Webinar continues [tonight] Thursday, October 8th at 8:00PM E.S.T. It is based on the book, Helping Others Overcome Addictions by Steve McVey and Mike Quarles. Mike Quarles & Vernon Terrell will teach it. For details and access information, visit FreedfromAddiction.org / Blog,