Today I decided to send cookies to my local prison. I know that this probably sounds very strange, but I think it is important to show kindness to all, not just those that we see everyday. So, today I called my local prison to see if they would accept that type of donation and the officer said yes with a cheerful voice, much different than how they answer. The officer began to just talk to me and told me something that has really stuck with me. The officer said that when they receive a donation like this that they tell the inmates where it is coming from. So today the officer was going to tell them that someone anonymously donated these cookies to them for Christmas. I said that would be great! The officer continued by saying that often time when a donation like this comes through that the inmates think of it as a sort of forgiveness. The officer said "they know they messed up, and usually just want to forget what they did. Stuff like this tell them that people will forgive them even if they themselves never do." Now that stuck with me.
Can you imagine spending the rest of your life, holding a grudge against you! To look at yourself everyday and think " what a failure." I almost cried when I thought about it. In Hebrews 10:17 the Lord says " Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." In Isaiah 1:18 the Lord says "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." I can't imagine knowing that my father can forgive me, but I couldn't, or my family couldn't. Today I was reminded to forgive. Forgive everyone. If God can look at each person each day as a precious infant of his creation, why can I not look at every person with fresh eyes too.
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