I have been reflecting over the past week of the theme of reconciliation.
Social Media is a particularly funny place to be reading about it.
Social media is generally the centre of cancel culture which is the opposite of reconciliation and if anyone has been promoting reconciliation but also out there campaigning against Folau, making sure he has no possible chance of earning an income, then I am afraid there is absolute zero credibility in what you have to say and you know nothing about reconciliation.
We have seen hashtags #reconciliationmorethenjustwords. The funny irony in your using words on social media to make that statement while seeing no action to forgive someone for a past offence.
However, I do applaud the initiative, I do agree reconciliation is more than just words but what I want to ask is, how are you living it in your life?
I am not being political here I just want to ask, where are you with reconciliation in your life?
Cultural change starts in your heart
The fact is, change is down to us, not as a collective but as individuals.
You have not got a hope in changing culture or changing society without first changing its people and that starts with one person at a time.
To want reconciliation you have to be a person who is quick to forgive.
Because reconciliation is a two-way street
Reconciliation begins with one side repenting of past atrocities and the other side forgiving their side of the atrocities.
Reconciliation does not even have to begin with the side at fault you can have reconciliation by reaching out over the fence and saying I forgive you.
What a powerful liberating statement that is.
That was what God the father did when he sent his Son to die for sins of the world.
God made the first move to reconcile humanity.
I love this passage Romans chapter 5 verse 8.
“God demonstrated his own love for us in this, while were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV).
So we were still sinners when Christ reconciled us with our heavenly father. He made a way before any of us even apologised for defiling his beautiful creation with our sin.
This is the way of God forgives, forgiveness means the slate is wiped clean and reconciliation and relationship building starts.
So when I see the #reconilliationismorethenjustwords, I think well are you living it in your life?
Is there someone in your world you need to forgive?
People have this idea forgiveness is ok - I forgive you and then never talk to them again.
This is not forgiveness, forgiveness means you restore them, it means you bless them, they hold nothing over you.
It is the only way to free yourself from the prison, sure they can compensate and can spend the rest of their life trying to make it up to you. But they have not forgiven you, you are still drinking the poison and expecting the other person to die.
Repentance is more than just words.
To bring reconciliation you also have to do your bit by repenting.
Repenting is more than just words; repentance means to have sincere regret and remorse, it means by the power of God you are never going to do it again.
We have to learn from the past, show sincere regret, allow God to change us from the inside out (You can try doing it yourself and see how you go) so we do not sin against our brother and sister.
We allow the power of God to work in us so we can forgive our brother and sister for any sin committed against us.
When we allow the freeing power of forgiveness to work inside of us, then we are totally free and have truly achieved reconciliation.