Saturday, July 19, 2003
Saturday, July 19, 2003
Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive
each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
One day he was sitting at his desk doodling--not writing poetry but only thinking of the man who
had wronged him. Markham later testified that the Holy Spirit spoke to him, "Markham, if you do
not deal with this thing," the Spirit said, "it is going to ruin you. You cannot afford the price you
are paying. You must forgive that man." The poet prayed, "Lord, I will, and I do freely forgive." A
miracle occurred. The resentment was gone. The poetry now flowed. He then penned perhaps
his most famous poem:
He drew a circle that shut me out--Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout;
We forgive, in the first place, because it is in our own best interest to do so. Our resentment is
poisoning our own hearts and it is poisoning our relationships with others.
(Colossians 3.13
NRSV)
When the poet Edwin Markham reached the age of retirement, he discovered that his banker
had defrauded him. Markham was ready to retire but was penniless. He was also bitter. He was
so bitter that he could no longer write poetry. He was obsessed with the evil perpetrated against
him by a man he had thought was a friend.
But Love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in!
Dear God, help me to unload the baggage of hurt. Amen.
