The Power of Forgiveness

 

Sometimes unexpected experiences, odd situations and mind boggling occurrences often brings us to our knees saying...God you are incredible.

 

As I picked up the phone to see how my mother was doing, I felt really happy to hear her voice on the other end. Throughout our one hour conversation she told me she was having some trouble sleeping at night and that she was tossing and turning a lot in bed without getting a good night sleep. we spoke for a while on that subject and then she told me of a spiritual moment she and a few of her church lady friends had experienced while having a spiritual meeting on the subject of "forgiveness".  

 

This is what happened. As the leader of their organization started her meeting she asked those that that had never been there before to introduce themselves. As the meeting took place one lady said she was there to understand why we need to forgive? This lady had not spoken to her mother for many year and she didn't realize her own mother was sitting in the back row for the same reasons. A little tension and possibly some anger did arise in their hearts from whatever happened in their past resurfaced once they both knew they were together seeking understanding for the same question.

 

As the meeting proceeded and everyone was spiritually focusing on the lesson, a very tired and hungry homeless man appeared in the room. He had entered the classroom seeking for food and water. My mother who gives unceasingly and without rewards to so many asked the man if there was anything that he needed? He humbly responded by saying, "I am hungry and thirsty." Without a second of thought my Mom quickly sat him down and then she ran to the kitchen for a large glass of juice and some buttered bread. As she brought him the plate with the bread, juice and a napkin, he looked at her with his humble eyes full of gratitude as his tears ran down his face. Mom's eyes began to overflow with tears and her friends had to hold her up because as she was emotionally filled with this man's gratitude.

 

As he ate she went back into the kitchen and filled up 3 bowls of food they all had made for their meeting luncheon...one bowl was filled with beans, one with rice and one with 3 pieces of chicken. She grabbed 2 bottles of water and packed him a lovely care package with napkins, forks and hand wipes to take with him.

 

When the man arose from his seat he said, "thank you for feeding me, no one had ever loved me like you all loved me today.  I pray God may bless you for it." The man left the room with his food on hand and a heart full of gratitude.

 

As he left the ladies in the room frozen and in disbelief of what had just occurred they wiped away their tears trying to regain their emotions to continue the lesson.

 

Once they continued with their meeting, the leader of the group asked my mother to speak on what had just occurred. My mom spoke for one hour on this experience. She expressed emotionally the spiritual meaning behind what just occurred to her and all those that felt God's love in that man... adding to it the importance of forgiving others. She said, " Sometimes we go through life with a broken heart and our human side refuses to forgive those among us. God loves us so much that He sent His only son to open the way to heaven. When we refuse to forgive we refuse to enter into heaven. This homeless man may have had a very hard life but his love for others has never been tarnished, he was sent to us by God to learn the true meaning of forgiveness and unconditional love."

 

After her talk was finished the mother and the daughter who had not spoken in years looked at each other and emotionally ended up embracing and forgiving one another.

 

As Mom and I conversed on this experience, we both knew that God had sent this man there to fill the room with His unconditional love and forgiveness. These ladies fed the hungry and in return they received a powerful testimony on one of the greatest attributes God has blessed us all with..."The Power of Forgiveness.