“If we say that we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God who is
faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9
Remember those awkward and difficult times as a kid when you
got in an argument with a sibling or another kid, and you were made to stand
next to each other and apologize?
No, like you mean it.
This week I am recognizing the value of this more than ever,
as I see and hear people getting angry over an apology. Throughout the week there have been
many attacks and protests over and anti-Islamic movie that was posted on the
internet. The protests target the
United States, since that is where the movie came from. Some of the protests have not been
violent, others have. Muslims
around the world, along with many who do not share their faith are angry and
hurt and they are reacting. The violent reactions have been rightly condemned by many national governments. They are upsetting and people are obviously hurt and angry in response to a hurt and angry response.
But what upsets me just as much, if not more, is the outrage
spreading around because someone, the US Secretary of State in fact, had the
audacity (or compassion) to apologize.
More people started protesting the apology. As if you should never apologize for
your wrongdoing if someone else did something wrong too. As if I wasn’t in the wrong just
because my sister hit me too. As
if the best thing to do when two parties are hurting is to try to obliterate
the other first. Because if that
kid knows I can beat him up, he’ll be afraid of me, and that is the best way to
peace (or the illusion of it).
A huge part of our calling as Christians is to repent. In order to do this, we must actually
acknowledge our sin. We cannot
turn away from it if we pretend it isn’t there, as if we are victims of evil
from some outside source and our own thoughts and actions are never
condemned. We cannot believe in a
savior if we think we do not need to be saved. And we do need to be saved, not just from others, but from
ourselves.
In any relationship, when someone is hurt, the relationship
is broken. Jesus came to reconcile
us to God and to the rest of humanity.
God does not desire broken relationships. God desires peace and unity. Sometimes healing and reconciliation and peace require an
apology. You might be surprised
how God can work to spread love in the world through something so simple. If you think you have no power or ability to work for world peace, consider starting with an apology, or at the very least, don't condemn those who do.
This I learned standing next to my
sister, or my brother, or my friend.
Standing in front of my mother, telling me to apologize. “I don’t care who started it. No, like you mean it. Look her in the eye and say you are
sorry. Ok, that’s better.”
Thanks, Mom.
