The Grudge

            George Washington was a great man, but he was not perfect. In 1798, he allowed himself to be swayed by Alexander Hamilton into taking command of the United States Armed Forces. (Washington was concerned about a potential French invasion.)

            John Adams was president, and you might imagine how difficult it was for him to give up his role as commander in chief. He resented the fact that members of his cabinet had been working behind the scenes against him, and that Washington allowed himself to be involved in the process. Because of this, historian Joseph Ellis wrote, “… Adams, who believed that holding grudges was a measure of personal integrity, never forgave him….”

            John Adams’ reason for maintaining a grudge is a common one. He (and those like him) mistakenly believed that holding a grudge is a  badge of honor. Sadly, this idea is mistaken. Holding a grudge is a sign of self-righteousness.

Enrichment

This morning, I heard on the radio much commentary on the Michael Vick story. In case you have not heard, Michael Vick is currently the top-ranked quarterback in the NFL.

Ten years ago, he was the first player taken in the NFL draft. He earned tens of millions of dollars, while becoming a pro bowl quarterback. Then, federal investigators discovered he was running a dog-fighting ring. 

Vick was sentenced to almost two years in prison. Last year, the Philadelphia Eagles decided to give him a chance as a back-up quarterback. This year, after starter Kevin Kolb got hurt the first game of the season, Vick took over as the starter and, now, might be the best player in football.

This has made a number of people mad. They feel that Vick should be banished from the sport forever.

One talk-show host compared these people to those who are bitter over the brokers of Wall Street, who cost people their life savings, went to prison, and are now seeking to live a better life. They just can’t let this sin go. The Wall Street reference made me think.

Material riches will one day rot or burn up. Forgiveness is a quality that will enrich the soul forever.

You Asked My Opinion of Him

The publication OUR DAILY BREAD related a story about Robert E. Lee. In honor of Veteran’s Day, I thought I would pass this story of one of America’s greatest soldiers.

During the Civil War, General Lee was asked to assess a fellow officer. This particular officer had been offering very negative comments concerning Lee.

Lee’s response was to state he found the officer’s performance very satisfactory. This answer created confusion for the questioner.

“General, I guess you don’t know what he’s been saying about you.”

Lee replied, “I know, but I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me.”

Matt. 6: 12 Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others. CEV

The Man in Cell Number Seven

A while back, my oldest daughter and I saw the Clint Eastwood movie, INVICTUS. It told the inspiring story of the South Africa’s World Cup champion Rugby team, which played a role in the healing of a new nation.

Nelson Mandela was the visionary behind the reconciliation of South Africa. The title, INVICTUS, is a reference to the poem Mandela recited to himself to help him endure the horrors of prison.

Mandela was convicted in 1964 of plotting against the government. When his mother died in 1968, the government would not let him attend her funeral. In 1969, the government refused to let him attend the funeral of his oldest son, who died in a car accident.

Mandela spent 18 years in a prison cell that was seven feet by nine feet. His diet consisted of corn porridge and a drink made of brackish water, yeast, and sugar. Each day he would work breaking rocks at a limestone quarry.

While in jail, Mandela refused to adorn the walls in his cell. He did not ever want it to feel like home. Each day, he would do exercises in his cell anticipating the day he would be free. For 26 years he did those exercises.

As you might imagine, there were days when even he was down. Still, he survived and in 1990 he was released. In 1994, he was elected president of South Africa.

When I think of all Nelson Mandela experienced, I find it staggering he could be a man of forgiveness, racial healing, and racial reconciliation. Proof positive, yet again, that what is done to a man, does not have to come out of man.

Memory

I read about a guy who described an evening when he was browsing through an old newspaper. He found an article about men losing their memory cells faster than women. He read it aloud to his wife.

 "It must be true," she said. "This is the second time you've read that article to me."

In most cases, a loss of memory is not a good thing. Here is one exception, when God voluntarily loses His memory:

… “I'll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.”
Once sins are taken care of for good, there's no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them (Heb. 10:17) [THE MESSAGE].

Why?

The parents of Pulitzer-prize winning author, Larry McMurtry, divorced in 1976, after 44 years of marriage. Forty-four years! Why, after 44 years, did Mr. and Mrs. McMurtry divorce? There were probably several, but the author, and son, focused on one in the first volume of his memoir.

Larry McMurtry’s father “was haunted” by the price his own mother (Larry’s grandmother) paid for settling on the frontier of Texas. One example was the burden of transporting water from the spring to the cabin, which Mr. McMurtry personally witnessed as a boy. There were, of course, many more hardships she had to endure to assist her husband and serve her growing family.

Larry’s father married a woman, who did not have to endure such toil.  Life was easier. Yet, a tension lingered for the duration of their marriage. As Larry wrote, even though the couple could occasionally have fun, “the core problem remained: my father could not forgive my mother for having an easier life than his mother had.”

What If No One Forgot?

It was the tenth inning of the final game of the World Series. The New York Giants were leading the Boston Red Sox, 2-1. Christy Mathewson, the great pitcher, delivered the ball to the plate. The batter hit an easy fly ball to center fielder, Fred Snodgrass. Snodgrass eased under the ball—and dropped it!

Snodgrass’ muff placed the game-tying run on second base. The next batter, future hall-of-famer Harry Hooper, hit a screaming line drive over Snodgrass’ head—surely it would be a triple.

Unbelievably, Snodgrass ran the ball down and made the greatest catch of his life—a game-saving catch. Unfortunately, the catch went for naught.

Christy Mathewson inexplicably walked a batter. The next man up, future hall of famer Tris Speaker, hit a pop fly foul ball, in front of the grandstand. Unbelievably, Mathewson and catcher John “Chief” Myers misplayed it, which gave Speaker another chance at the plate. He hit a single to tie the game. The Giants made no more errors, but lost the game when a sacrifice fly scored the winning run from third base.

Afterwards, the New York newspapers became apoplectic. They blamed Fred Snodgrass for the loss, even though he clearly was not alone in his mistakes.

Snodgrass went on to play four more seasons of Major League Baseball. Overall, he enjoyed a fine career. A good steward with his earnings, Snodgrass went back home to California and became a very successful rancher, banker, and businessman. He lived a life filled with good works and died at the ripe old age of 86 on April 6, 1974.

The next day, the venerable NEW YORK TIMES featured Fred Snodgrass in its Obituary page. Almost sixty-two years after the 1912 World Series, the headline read: "Fred Snodgrass, 86, Dead; Ball Player Muffed 1912 Fly."

What if God took your most embarrassing mistake, and refused to forget it? What if, on the Day of Judgment, God announced to Universe your worst sin?

Be of good cheer. Here is what Hebrews tells about God’s memory of sin for those who are in Christ, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more" (Heb. 10:17b) ESV.