Fifi shows me up!

I sometimes have the joy of hearing how Roary, Timmy, Harry, Charlie and Stingy are getting on. The delightful world of Children's Television! Yesterday, Fifi and her Flower Tot friends were making pancakes and having harmonious kitchen fun together. But Stingo, the slightly self absorbed wasp was stealing the pancakes! Terrible thing to do in the Flower Tot Garden! However, at the end of the programme Stingo had said sorry and asked if he was allowed to eat the pancakes with his friends. And good old Fifi let him share the pancakes and harmonious kitchen fun was resumed.

And then it hit me! Fifi, the pretend children's  T.V character had done a better job of forgiving her light fingered wasp friend, than I had done last night with one of my sons. He had done something wrong so he was disciplined. He said he was sorry, and I said he was forgiven. But over dinner I bought the incident up again and was still cross with him about it. I had not let go of it. I had said I had forgiven him, but it turns out I hadn't. I had not showed him what true forgiveness looked like, therefore I had not modelled Jesus' forgiveness to him.

We talked about Fifi's example of forgiveness, which to my shame had been better than my own, and I said I was sorry. My son forgave me properly, and harmonious kitchen fun was resumed.

     "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,  

           “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister

       who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

           Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

                                                                  Matthew 18v21-22

    "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you,

           your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

     But if you do not forgive others their sins,

          your Father will not forgive your sins."

                                                                  Matthew 6v14-15