15th August

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3, 13

Forgiving the unforgivable

It was in a disadvantaged suburb of Grenoble (France). A social worker brings meals to elderly people. One day, he has a new name on his list: Lucie F. The first person to whom he speaks to about her looks at him surprised and exclaims: "This lady is a godly person!" Another person confirms to him and specifies: "She has forgiven her son-in-law."

Finally, he arrives at Mrs. Lucie. He finds a deserving and shy lady with a smile full of kindness. They get to know each other and he leaves without knowing more. However, he passes by day by day and step by step he gains her confidence. Finally, she tells him about her life tragedy: her son-in-law was guilty of the murder of her daughter! However, she has forgiven him, first of all in her heart, and then in public at the law court. She requested grace for him. Everybody in this suburb got to know this and since then she is called the godly person.

Where did she find the strength to forgive? Several months of daily contact are needed to solve this mystery. The social worker gives this lady a biblical calendar. So she explains to him with a big emotion that she is a believer. She has been reading her Bible for years, but, as if it would be forbidden, she reads it in secret, in the evening with a small lamp. This is her secret: she knew Jesus Christ, him who gave his life for her, him by whom God has forgiven her and who gave her the strength to forgive something which seemed unforgivable.