Go Ahead, Say You're Sorry!
I was walking down the steps towards my unit as I pondered about certain issues concerning my students when I was reminded of the title of an article I read years ago - "Go Ahead, Say You're Sorry". If I remember the content as well as I did the title, the article talks about apologizing and not letting our pride get in the way when we realised that we've done something wrong. And it doesn't matter even if we were not the first to offend. Make the first move to say, "Sorry", because it is right in the eyes of the Lord.
I've been challenged in this area countless times with people from all parts of my life and I've come to learn that saying "Sorry" can sometimes be very difficult. I'm not talking about the kind where you accidentally stepped on somebody's toe. Ironically, the intentional ones seem more difficult to get that 5-letter word out of us. The conviction just faithfully keeps knocking at the door of our bitter, hardened heart, waiting for it to turn soft to surrender to the voice within. Basically, we have this perception that we would lose out if we're the one raising the white flag first. The dangerous thing is that, the longer and more frequently we ignore this prompting, the harder our heart would become.
Anyway, after I was done showering and finally got to sit down, I reached out for a reading of Our Daily Bread (haven't used that for a while) and guess what's the topic of the day (10 Jan)? "Apology Hotline". Check it out...
Reading: Read Matt 5:21-26
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Jesse Jacobs has created an apology hotline that makes it possible to apologize without actually talking to the person you’ve wronged. People who are unable or unwilling to unburden their conscience in person call the hotline and leave a message on an answering machine. Each week, 30 to 50 calls are logged, as people apologize for things from adultery to embezzlement. “The hotline offers participants a chance to alleviate their guilt and, to some degree, to own up to their misdeeds,” said Jacobs.
The apology hotline may seem to offer some relief from guilt, but this is not how Jesus instructed His followers to handle conflict. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to deal with conflict by taking the initiative and going to the offended brother to apologize for the offense (see also Matt. 18). In fact, Jesus taught that the problem of human estrangement is so serious that we should even interrupt our worship to go on a personal mission of reconciliation (Matt. 5:24). The Master encouraged His followers to be reconciled with one another eagerly, aggressively, quickly, and personally (v.25).
Are any of your relationships broken or estranged because of something you said or did? Take the initiative. Go now and do all you can to be reconciled.
—Marvin Williams
God cannot prosper those who try
To cover sin and wrong deny;
But all who humbly will confess,
The Savior with His love will bless. —D. De Haan
At the heart of all conflict is a selfish heart.
I've been challenged in this area countless times with people from all parts of my life and I've come to learn that saying "Sorry" can sometimes be very difficult. I'm not talking about the kind where you accidentally stepped on somebody's toe. Ironically, the intentional ones seem more difficult to get that 5-letter word out of us. The conviction just faithfully keeps knocking at the door of our bitter, hardened heart, waiting for it to turn soft to surrender to the voice within. Basically, we have this perception that we would lose out if we're the one raising the white flag first. The dangerous thing is that, the longer and more frequently we ignore this prompting, the harder our heart would become.
Anyway, after I was done showering and finally got to sit down, I reached out for a reading of Our Daily Bread (haven't used that for a while) and guess what's the topic of the day (10 Jan)? "Apology Hotline". Check it out...
Reading: Read Matt 5:21-26
Murder Begins in the Heart
21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.
Jesse Jacobs has created an apology hotline that makes it possible to apologize without actually talking to the person you’ve wronged. People who are unable or unwilling to unburden their conscience in person call the hotline and leave a message on an answering machine. Each week, 30 to 50 calls are logged, as people apologize for things from adultery to embezzlement. “The hotline offers participants a chance to alleviate their guilt and, to some degree, to own up to their misdeeds,” said Jacobs.
The apology hotline may seem to offer some relief from guilt, but this is not how Jesus instructed His followers to handle conflict. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to deal with conflict by taking the initiative and going to the offended brother to apologize for the offense (see also Matt. 18). In fact, Jesus taught that the problem of human estrangement is so serious that we should even interrupt our worship to go on a personal mission of reconciliation (Matt. 5:24). The Master encouraged His followers to be reconciled with one another eagerly, aggressively, quickly, and personally (v.25).
Are any of your relationships broken or estranged because of something you said or did? Take the initiative. Go now and do all you can to be reconciled.
—Marvin Williams
God cannot prosper those who try
To cover sin and wrong deny;
But all who humbly will confess,
The Savior with His love will bless. —D. De Haan
At the heart of all conflict is a selfish heart.
