Do not hold their sin against them

Acts 7:59-60

While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.

I've missed this. Missed these devotionals. Missed writing thoughts about scripture. Technology is a funny thing - and it isn't something I'm as good with as I am with other things! :-) So, I am still planning on switching to a new blog. But in the meantime, I do want to say something. Looking forward to the lessons for the Sunday coming up seem a good place to start.

So this reading comes in a week where, similar to many other weeks, we have all kinds of news both nationally and globally (and locally too) about how we tend to hold sins against each other.

Stephen is the first martyr. And his last words are "Do not hold this sin against them."

His last words are forgiveness.

Lately there has been a lot in my life I've gotten easily annoyed at. News, politics, busy schedules, personality conflicts. You know, all the stuff that most of us face in our lives on a daily basis.

What would our lives be like if we didn't hold peoples' sins against them?

Or their words against them?

What would our lives be like?

What if words of forgiveness were the first words out of our mouths?

What then?

Lord forgive me. Have mercy on me. Amen.