Leonardo Da Vinci and Forgiveness
While painting The Last Supper, the artist Leonardo Da Vinci fought with a man. He spoke angrily with the man and they became enemies. After that, he went back and continued his work on the canvas. But however much he tried he could not finish the face of Jesus Christ.
Deep inside himself, he felt like something was burning. He became restless and impatient. He set down his brush and went out and found the person he had fought with. Da Vinci said to him, “Please forgive me,” and the other person also apologized to him.
They forgave each other and Da Vinci was able to continue painting after that, producing a beautiful work of art.
What does the above incident teach us? If we live in stubbornness and revenge, refusing to forgive others, our life won’t produce anything good. We will end up broken and in trouble.
God wants to teach us some deep truths through the pain we are facing.
Practical Steps to Forgiveness
When people hurt us, our hearts can easily be filled with vengeance because of the pain. “I won’t forgive him even to my death,” we say. We think and speak evil about those who hurt us. But for our well-being and for our healing we should purposefully forgive.
If it is so, the first thing we have to do is stop thinking evil about the people who hurt us. This could be a mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, neighbor, doctor, teacher, worker, vendor, conductor or driver—whoever it is, let go of your bitterness toward them. I agree with you that they did wrong to you, but you must look beyond that to the Lord who loves you. Look through the adversity to the hands of God, who is working for you. Praise the Lord for the blessing you are going to receive through this. The unchanging Word of God says:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who loves him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
When we believe God’s promise, He helps us and blesses us. King David says to the Lord, “Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.”
Secondly, when you think about someone’s wrongdoing or how they hurt you, you have to ask: “God, through this, what behavior do you want to change in me?” When we react badly to a person who did evil to us, it shows that we also need to grow in some qualities like love, humility, gentleness, patience, loyalty and self-control. Do you think you need to grow in these qualities? Or when somebody behaved badly to you, was your response decent? Were all the qualities stated above in your response? Even if they were, there are always some qualities that can be strengthened, like helping others and living with loyalty, happiness and peace.
In Mark 10, Jesus is talking to his disciples and in between they are fighting. One person wants a higher position than the other. It’s a catfight among the disciples!
In the end Jesus asked them, “Children why you are fighting? The greatest among you will be your servant.” Later, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet. And he told them to follow what he did. This is a model of how we have to behave with others.
In your life, when you are interacting with others at home, at work or in your community—wherever you are—when you are undergoing pain and problems, you have to think, “Lord, what behavior needs to be improved in me? Through these problems, which part of me do you want to chisel down?”
Once, Paul and Peter had a fight. The words of Paul hurt Peter, but through this fight there was a serious thing which Peter had to learn.
He needed to stand for truth. But in front of his people, the Jews, he was hiding the truth. So Paul told him, “This is not right.” His words caused pain, but Peter did not say anything bad to Paul or react in a wrong manner.
“Some qualities in my life should be strengthened. God wants to change my life through this pain.” Peter thought like this and was blessed because of it. He did not fail. This knowledge will help us to forgive.
The Bible teaches us that a person who loves Jesus should be ready to suffer for him.
“But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (1 Peter 4:13-16)
When you are in pain due to others, when neighbors hurt you, when you have to face your life being shattered, don’t react badly. Don’t grit your teeth and live in unforgiveness and vengeance.
Say sincerely, “Lord, I am swallowing this pain, these sorrows, and this adversity because I love you.” This way you can build a forgiving heart.
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K.P. Yohannan ( - Present)
Dr. K.P. Yohannan, the Metropolitan Bishop of Believers Church, was born and brought up in Niranam, Kerala. Niranam has immense historical significance in the tradition of Saint Thomas, a disciple of Jesus Christ who planted the first church there in AD 52. K.P. Yohannan dedicated his life to God at a young age to serve the needy and downtrodden. He prayed, “Oh my Lord, let my heart break with the things that break Your heart” and his life was never the same. It’s his belief that one can only demonstrate God’s love by loving people. After over four decades of selfless service, he says, I have no regrets in praying that prayer for I know God has touched millions through what He did in and through me. It is all God’s grace.He spent the early years of his service in North India and traveled to the remote villages sharing the love of Christ and doing charitable works. Through numerous encounters during those years, he was instilled with an increasing passion to bring hope, peace, and comfort to the needy and deprived. His sacrificial commitment, farsightedness and aptitude to perceive helped him to lead a life of unhindered devotion to serve Christ and His church. K.P. Yohannan is also the voice of Athmeeya Yathra, touching millions through his daily radio and TV broadcasts. His 250 books offer practical and spiritual guidance on hundreds of subjects.
Recommends these books by K.P. Yohannan:
Living in the Light of Eternity: Discovering God's Design For Your Life by K.P. Yohannan
The Beauty of Christ through Brokenness by K.P. Yohannan
Crisis in Leadership by K.P. Yohannan
K.P. Yohannan is the founder and president of Gospel for Asia, a mission organization involved in evangelism and church planting in the unreached regions of Asia. Currently Gospel for Asia supports thousands of church planters in the heart of the 10/40 window.
Born in a remote village of South India, K.P. Yohannan's personal journey toward spiritual reality began at the age of eight when he gave his heart to Christ. While he was still a young boy, his mother began fasting each week, praying God would call one of her six sons into full-time gospel ministry. Her prayers were answered in 1966 when 16 year-old K.P., her youngest, volunteered to serve in North India with Operation Mobilization.
From 1974 to 1979 K.P. attended Criswell Bible College in Dallas, Texas, where he earned his B.A. in Biblical Studies. He was also awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Hindustan Bible College in Madras, India. During the time he attended Criswell, he pastored a local church in Dallas. However, he was unable to forget the millions still lost without Christ in his homeland of India, and knew God was calling him to reach his own people. In 1978 K.P. resigned his pastorate and he and his wife, Gisela, organized what is now Gospel for Asia.