The Gift of an Apology

Have you needed to apologize to someone recently? Did you do it? A while back, my kids told on themselves (don’t you love that about the little years?). Apparently, they had misbehaved in a class at church. After I got the details and unstrapped the kids from their car seats, we marched back inside to apologize to the teachers.

In an effort to reassure my kids and encourage future apologies, I talked with them afterwards about how sinners will always need to apologize to one another. And it hit me…what a gift the ability to apologize is.

What if we lived in a world where every time we did something wrong, we could be assured that the relationship would be irreparably severed and we would forever bear the guilt and shame of our actions?

Instead, we have a chance at reconciliation. A chance at restoration. A chance at forgiveness. But we’re afraid to ask.

What if – gasp – someone actually found out that we did something wrong? Funny thing is, they already know. And they’re already hurt. And if we don’t ask, sure, they’ll probably ignore it and act like nothing’s wrong. Until the next time we mess up. And each time, the rift between us slowly widens. Until we apologize: admit we’re wrong and ask for forgiveness. Just ask. That’s it.

Hmmm…sounds like a microcosm of another, bigger relationship, doesn’t it? A relationship where someone died so that we could be freely forgiven. And so we could have the foundation for forgiveness in every other relationship.

Forgiveness is a gift. So is the opportunity to ask for it. Let’s ask more often.