Be More Forgiving

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself"

Leviticus 19:18

Let's admit it, sometimes we find it difficult to love other people.

Loving good people is easy.

But loving difficult and bad people- those people who criticized you, make fun of you and betrayed you? Many people are in constant battle of doing this. 

Pero dahil ito ang utos ng Diyos according to the bible, we should obey this commandment- we should love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Can I share my own story? It happened about a month ago. I am a single mom and I always make sure that everytime my salary comes, I set aside a portion for it for the tuition of my daughter who is in preschool. Soon enough I was able to save for my daughter's tuition. I gave it to my "nanay" (my mother) since she's the one taking care of my kid while I'm at work.

So she told me she already paid for my daughter's tuition fee. I didn't demand for any receipts since she is my mother and I trusted her so much.

Then one day, while I was browsing all the notebooks of my daughter, I saw a note from her notebook marked as "Reminders". It says "Please be reminded to pay this XX amount on or before _______________________ as  a remaining balance for the tuition fee.

This would mean my mother was not able to pay the full amount of my daughter's tuition fee. There were a lot of thoughts in my mind. The evil was telling me "Your nanay is a liar. You trusted her so much but she betrayed you and used your money without your permission."

I didn't know what to feel and do at that very moment. I took a deep breath, sat down, and analyzed my thoughts. I prayed to God to guide me on what should I feel and do.

My mother was in Manila that time (we live in Bulacan), so I texted her and asked her about the note I saw in my daughter's notebook. She admitted it right away, that she spent a portion of my kids' tuition fee. She didn't tell me because she was expecting some money from her own small business but unfortunately didn't come earlier than expected. The problem was the payment due date was near already and I didn't know where to get the remaining amount to pay to my kid's school. My daughter couldn't get her scorecards and couldn't attend their culminating activity if the remaining amount wouldn't be paid.

It was so painful for me. I was asking how could my own mother do that to me. She could have told me earlier so I could lend some money to my friends. I didn't know what to do and I could not say anything since I was scared to say not so good things to my mother.

I just decided to sleep. It was so amazing. Before I totally fell asleep, I remember all my mistakes in the past. I remember all my failures - especially how many times I failed my mother, how many times I unintentionally disrespected her, how many times I took her love for granted.

Suddenly..

I remember how she took good care of me.

I remember how she protected me.

I remember how she loved me unconditionally.

 Then all the negative feelings I had were gone. It taught me a very important lesson.

Just like any other human being, my mother is imperfect. She could do things that could hurt me. She could commit mistakes. 

I know my mother loves me so much and as much as she could, she wants to me to be very happy.  But I have to accept that sometimes, even if she doesn't want to, she can do things that can disappoint me. Just like any other human being. Just like me.

It's also the same in dealing with other people. Let forgiveness should be our habit. From time to time, expect that people will fail our expectations, that people will hurt us, that people will do things that can disappoint us.

Accept that people are imperfect.

Just like You.

Just like Me.

A perfect God can forgive all our sins.

 How much more for imperfect people like us?

Forgive.

Forgive other people.

Forgive yourself.

.

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37

Be a better you,

Maya