the back burner

Pushing Broom

I'm in Chattanooga! Everybody here seems to be cleaning up after hard times. Either they're in the middle of it and trying to keep their relationships tidy, or they're sorting through the aftermath, sweeping up whatever's left that's worth cleaning. It takes a lot more than a broom to fix broken people, but sometimes you just do what can. Sweeping's a lot better than complaining.

Here's something I wrote to a friend that I'm not sure I agree with, but which is nonetheless thought-provoking:

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(1) Forgiveness. How many times would the prodigal son have to demand
an inheritance, leave town, and disgrace his family in the far country
before it would be wrong (sinful) for his father to forgive him?
Shouldn't we model God's forgiveness to people who aren't believers,
even when it puts us at a disadvantage? I'm really asking these
questions of myself, since they reveal sin in my heart. I'm only
sharing them to get your thoughts. Do we always forgive? I think so,
even though that means I'm incredibly disobedient.

(2) Accountability. What do we do about the sin? I mean, ultimately,
the important question is what will Anonymous do with her sin. But are
the rest of us (perfect people, to be sure) supposed to forgive and
forget in a way that destroys accountability? Of course not. How
then, are we supposed to forgive without denying the
reality of sin, both in the sinner and in ourselves? Somehow, the way
that you eventually forgive Anonymous -- because there is not question
that you must forgive her -- must not minimize your own sins or hers.
It must also not put her in the "beyond salvage" category. None of us
likes to be there, and if we really believe the power of the gospel,
we must agree that there really is no such place. Nothing is beyond
the ability of God to forgive and grant mercy.

(3) Support. What qualifies as neccessary, healthy support? What
makes a relationship a friendship? You have to decide these things
and make sure you cultivate them in your community. I think you also
have to look at Anonymous and ask yourself whether you ought to
offer that to her. Will providing support and friendship actually
harm her? Will not providing these things qualify as a sin? This is
something different than forgiveness, I think. Whether or not you
continue to be at all involved in her life (even if it's just keeping
her cell number and calling it once every two months), forgiveness has
to happen. Even if she never forgives you for real or imagined
offenses.

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Like I said, lots of people in Chattanooga are pushing broom, wondering what on earth God is doing. I'm standing by with a dustpan and taking notes I'll probably need sooner rather than later.

Posted by nickles at July 23, 2005 10:22 AM | TrackBack