Let me know if this story sounds familiar?

It is Christmas time, and a large dysfunctional family is busy trying to get what they need. One boy in the family consistently feels overlooked, undervalued, and blamed far too much. Christmas time is often a time for family to come together, but this boy just wants to be left alone. The last straw breaks for the boy when an older sibling gets into a fight and the young boy is blamed. After being sent to his room, the young boy just wants to get out of the family, and he makes a wish to be left alone.

The next morning the boy wakes up to realize he is home alone. For a few hours, the boy does all the things he could never do. Behind a mountain of ice cream and toppings, the boy proclaims, “Guys, I’m eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me.” A few hours pass, and loneliness sets in from getting what he thought he wanted.

Unbeknownst to the boy, a few burglars had been watching the house until it was vulnerable so that they could plunder it. The boy is in the fight of his life to stop the burglars, and ultimately the little boy defeats two full-grown criminals… likely due to the PG rating.

Yes, this is the plot of the Christmas movie classic, Home Alone. However, this also has elements of truth for many of us. Often, we get offended and just want to be alone. We experience a short-term feeling of freedom, but it also leaves us vulnerable to the real enemy. Jesus never gave his followers the option on if they should forgive or not. Jesus commanded forgiveness.

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt 6:14-15).

Paul reaffirms the same thing Jesus said, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:32).

Myths about forgiveness:

1. It says what they did was okay.

2. The pain will go away if I really forgive.

3. The relationship will be the same.

4. You should let people mistreat you.

There is a difference between forgiveness and reconciliation:

Forgiveness is a recognition, in both word and deed, that you are also guilty before God, and you choose to release bitterness towards the other person.

Reconciliation is an agreement between both parties to restore the relationship to a healthier one.

Who should you forgive?