The Importance of Making Amends In Forgiveness

“Idiots don’t take seriously the need of atonement,

but the right-hearted person does whatever pleases the Lord.”

— Proverbs 14:9

FORGIVENESS is no golden art of those who understand ethereal mysteries. It is proffered by those who see and understand the need of justice. Justice is what compels the person to make their amends, so the person who has been offended against isn’t held out in the dark of their circumstances of injustice.

Making amends is the simplest way of making something bad palatable.

Making amends may be the only way we can bring someone still quite vulnerable through to some sense for reconciliation for the injustice within a bad event in their life.

There is a heinous sin involved in someone hurting someone and not taking responsibility for it; it could even be seen as predatory behavior. At times we don’t know the impact of our interactions – and how hurtful we’ve been – but when we have some inkling of what’s going on and we don’t investigate the matter, we betray our belief in the doctrine of God’s gospel.

We are mandated to love others as God has loved us.

Can we not be afraid of the Judgment? Surely all our deeds will be revealed for what they truly were ultimately? Wouldn’t it be better to judge ourselves in our crooked moments? Such a judgment would have us quickly planning our amends. We would makes amends speedily to save our own skin, notwithstanding the need to obey God.

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Being a right-hearted person means we will do whatever pleases the Lord. We would know that living is for God – it may seem that we could get away with what we wish to get away with, but a sense for wisdom, and a good experience of reality, would correct such a bad error of judgment.

If we can make amends we have some hope of reconciling the relationship – for the works of forgiveness to take place in our midst.

Life is not truly about winning or losing; it’s about loving our neighbour.

People who please God have found a way to harness a right-hearted approach to living that seeks to elevate the needs of others.

Forgiveness is promoted more by our attitudes of admission for personal wrongs. When we own up to the things we could have done better we please God, and, in humility, we give people the justice that is due them. Such justice is usually long-awaited and it is healing by its nature.

© 2014 S. J. Wickham.