Serving Up Some Humble Pie

Some time back, I threw a friend under the bus.

Then I watched the bus run her over. 

Then I watched the bus put it in reverse and run her over again. 

I honestly didn't mean to throw her there.

Things unraveled in a complicated sort of way.

I don't want to scapegoat.

I caused someone hurt.

Even if I did it unintentionally, I still put my friend under a very large bus.

I'm still sick about it today.  Sick.

But do you know what happened?

That friend got out from under the bus from where I threw her and she said, I love you and forgive you.

What?

Not because she is weak, because she is most certainly not.

Not because she is stupid, because she is most certainly not.

Not because there is anything great about me that she couldn't live without, because there is most certainly not.

She forgave me because Jesus lives in her heart.

She extended grace to me because that is what God extends to us.

This week I've been mulling over some residual hurt from a bad situation.

It occurred to me today -in a very big way- that if my friend could get up from under that bus with a hand extending grace and love to me, I darn well had better be asking the Lord to work on my heart to extend the same things to those involved in some residual hurt. 

Forgiveness is a blessed thing to receive.

Forgiveness is a blessed thing to give. 

I need to get better at the giving part.

I'm serving up myself some humble pie.  It tastes good.  There's enough to go around.  Want a piece?