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May 13, 2026 06:00am

Jesus Forgave You—So What’s Stopping You From Forgiving Others?

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Here’s another good lesson we can learn from children.

We were at lunch with some friends after church on Sunday, and the conversation came up about their daughter and her best friend.

The day before, they had spent too much time together and were at each other’s throats, bickering and fighting. But the next day, they were best friends again.

Her dad shook his head and rolled his eyes, “Girls, sheesh.” He just couldn’t understand it.

But maybe, just maybe, there’s an example here for us.

Philippians 4:2–3
“2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.”

I’ll be honest. I almost skipped writing about these two verses today. I wanted to move on to verse 4 and talk about rejoicing. I mean, who wants to focus on a disagreement between two women?

If Paul thought it was important enough to include in a letter he’s writing from prison, I’m sure it’s important enough to read, study, and share.

So, I read it again.

Here are two women, both involved in the work of the church. Both sharing the gospel and helping others come to faith in Christ. Both important in the ministry efforts in Philippi.

But they were at odds with one another.

It doesn’t say what caused it, but their relationship was broken. We don’t have to know the why, do we? I’m certain many of you could imagine several reasons they would be mad or hurt. The problem wasn’t what caused the issue, it was that it remained unresolved and unreconciled.

Kind of like that grudge you’re still holding on to.

And here’s where the lesson from the kids comes in.

Jesus encouraged childlike faith, right? (Matthew 18) Look at how these two little friends were at odds one moment and laughing together the next.

I know what you’re thinking. But these are bigger things, adult things. Deep wounds have been inflicted. I just can’t…

But Jesus did.

As the people hurled insults, spit, and rocks at Him, Jesus carried His cross up Calvary. Nails were driven into His hands and feet. The crown of thorns was thrust onto His head, and He was hoisted into the air to suffer and die.

For those who had betrayed Him. Those who had sinned against Him. Those who hated Him.

And He still chose to give His life and forgive them.

How can we move forward? What is something you can do today to begin mending a broken relationship?

I watched those two girls sit together, laugh, and whisper to one another at lunch. The past was forgotten and forgiven.

They were living in today, not in yesterday.

Following Christ is different from the way the world lives. He calls us to be set apart, to look and act differently than the world for His glory. So, what are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to live like that?

Let me show you. Visit follow.lifeword.org to learn more about a life devoted to following Jesus.