If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you’ve made a friend. If he won’t listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won’t listen, tell the church. If he won’t listen to the church, you’ll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God’s forgiving love. (MSG)

Cancel culture is a popular movement and method of removing endorsement for someone or something based on offensive behavior or transgression. Living in this type of culture can make it so easy to “cancel” someone instead of learning how to truly forgive and love like Jesus. Forgiveness does not mean we forget or that we necessarily agree with what has happened. But what does it look like to sit in the discomfort we feel and extend understanding, compassion, and forgiveness to someone else?

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Over the past five weeks of A Deeper Life through Forgiveness, we have been taking steps to grow in what it looks like to extend forgiveness to others, to ourselves, and to receive the forgiveness that Jesus offers freely to us through his death on the cross. Jesus is a great model of what it looks like to forgive others, live a selfless lifestyle, and give grace to others, even when we feel like they don’t deserve it. Mirroring the life of Jesus can be so difficult. There can be dry seasons and seasons of fullness, but if we try to take small steps each day, we can walk closer and closer with Jesus even more.

Jesus illuminates the importance of forgiveness: both receiving it and extending it to others. Today’s verse illustrates God’s boundless mercy and invitation to forgive others as we have been forgiven. It shows us how to reach out to others with a message of hope, transformation, and an invitation to turn away from sin to follow him. Through our relentless pursuit to love others the way that Jesus loved us, we follow the path he provided for us in his death and resurrection, which made peace between us and God that we might also pursue peace with each other.  

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Jesus teaches us how to balance justice, mercy and truth. He addresses sin directly with compassion and love, even when it is difficult. Challenging hypocrisy and self-righteousness, he calls out the religious leaders who judge others but neglect to recognize their own faults. This emphasizes the importance of honesty and genuine repentance. Jesus also eats with tax collectors and sinners, showing humility and fellowship despite societal norms. His actions show that he does not reject sinners but invites them into a relationship and transformation as he demonstrates true kindness and acceptance of others.

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As we take a closer look at how to grow in forgiveness, what does it look like for you to challenge your current outlook on your own “cancel culture”? Do you walk away with anger when things are hard, or do you lean in with the intent to understand someone else? This week, how can you extend forgiveness?

Jesus, we know that forgiveness is such a journey and is easier said than done. When we are hurt, it is easier to project that hurt onto others. But remind us in these times that we can choose to forgive, not from a place of needing salvation, which you have already freely given to us, but because we have received forgiveness already by your finished work. Thank you for modeling what it looks like to confront sin while persistently loving the sinner. Let us follow in your footsteps as we walk closer to you. Amen!