“Forgive, son; men are men; they needs must err.” ~ Euripides

“He who covers and forgives an offense seeks love, but he who repeats or harps on a matter separates even close friends.” ~ Proverb 17.9

The Christian life begins with forgiveness.  It is the entryway to God.  We come to know God through the reconciliatory act of Jesus Christ.  Our confession of faith includes our acknowledgement that we have been forgiven, that God holds no grudges, that we have been released from the debt of sin.  All is forgiven.  We know God when we know that we have been forgiven and it is our accepting of forgiveness that we are given a new identity, relationship, position and perspective. Forgiveness changes us.

Accepting forgiveness can be hard as there may be feelings of unworthiness, guilt and shame but extending forgiveness to others can prove even more difficult.  Hard and difficult because extending forgiveness to others will require a new identity, relationship, position and perspective.  Forgiveness changes everything.

The adjectives that we use to describe them must change.  The ways that we interact with them must change.  The story is given a new beginning and must be told from a different perspective.  There is no ending now and the unforgivable has become forgivable. We have to let go of the script of hurt and depend on the new relationship for words.  We no longer know what to expect, know what happens when or can return to what happened the last time.  Because the time is new and the last time you spoke, there was forgiveness.  So, what now?

Forgiveness is about letting go of pain in exchange for healing.  It is to say that I don’t want to hurt anymore and/or I don’t want to be hurt by this person or that event anymore.  I want to be healed.  That’s a new relationship with the self, a new position and perspective. But, when the self is socially defined and confined, the relationships and their interactions socially scripted, the position socially prescribed and the perspective historic, is forgiveness possible?

Race makes unforgiveness a way of life. It is unchanging and makes our present unchangeable. Race makes us and others unforgivable. No one is forgiven in race; all are guilty of something.  There are no victims, only perpetrators.  There is blame for everyone as we have all hurt each other and hurt our selves.

Race has been used in some of the most horrific acts committed against humanity: torture, enslavement, war, rape, murder, genocide.  Still, I believe that race can be forgiven and  must be forgiven in order for our new selves and a new relationship with our selves and others to emerge.  We must let go of race, release race as the reason why our lives are the way that they are.  We say everyday, “Look at my life.  This is what race has done to me.”  Stop repeating the offense as if a fresh assault and seek healing.  Forgive race.

Stop blaming race for the things that we would do to each other for no reason at all. Race is but another excuse for wrong-doing in the world.  In forgiving race, we accept our part in the blame.  We release race and accept responsibility for the ways that we have contributed to or delayed newness or healing.  The truth of the matter is that race is but an expression of sin.  We must must rid our selves of race like any other sin because it separates us from God and from others.  Believing in race and practicing racism causes us to miss the mark.

In forgiving race, we forgive our selves. We are the tongues that tie our hands, that hold us back or propel us forward.  We are the culprits, the guilty ones.  The blood of the crimes of race are on our hands.  We have no partner, no co- conspirator.  We created the plan.  We drove the getaway car.  We are mad and hear only our own voice.  There is no one else here.

Race was not on the ship with the slaves.  Race was not at the lynching tree.  Race was not in the meeting.  Race was not at the family gathering.  We have pictures.  Check the video tape.  There is no one else here.  No proof of its existence though we have searched our blood, hair and skin.

Where is race?  What description does it fit?  Pick race out of a line up and convict it.  Give it time, life imprisonment, the death penalty.  Let race be punished, serve its time.  But, forgive race.

Forgive him or her for what they have done.  Forgive yourself for what you have said or done so that time can move on and a new story can be told.  Forgive race so that we can have a new relationship with our selves and with each other.