Of House Elves and Mercy

I was thinking today as I often do about forgiveness. Often I visit the ghost of forgiveness past. What I mean is I think about something I did long ago that I regret and let it hang around in my memory and re-visit it every now and again maybe as a means of penance, or repentance-who knows.

The tendency of humanity can sometimes be to carry around some sin with us as though it can still be held as evidence that we're no good-or that we are out of line with God's will, or maybe as a means of glorifying some perceived necessity for suffering as a servant of God. i.e. an unhealthy valuing of self-flagellation in the name of qualifying for God's grace. We may even carry around the sin that we feel has been committed against us as well. As though our memory of a wrong committed against us punishes the person who did the offending.

A good example of the former practice is Dobby the House Elf in the Harry Potter books. If he makes some slight mistake he runs to a cupboard to pull out a pan and bashes himself in the head with it-or bangs his head on the floor and says "Oh Harry Potter I've fallen short please forgive Dobby as I'm so unworthy." If you've read the books house elves often punish themselves in disproportionate measure with their "offense"-and often whatever they've done hasn't been offensive to anyone but them.

An example of holding onto an offense we feel was committed against us can take the form of a grudge against a former partner or lover who we feel parted ways in an unjust or unkind way. To carry around that anger is just as destructive as banging our heads with pans. To carry around in our memories the record of past wrongs we've committed is destructive as well. So rather than wearing football helmets and continuing the practice of grudges and spiritual self mutilation it is helpful for us to seek a more excellent way-that of love-the love of God specifically.

To know Jesus Christ is to know mercy, and to know mercy is to be freed from this practice of self punishment and the ghosts and goblins of our past life. There is room for accountability-but not room for trying to carry the burden of our sins that have been forgiven by Jesus Christ-and that have been carried away from us as far as the east is from the west. There is room for hurt from legitimately wrong behaviors we have experienced in others, but not for nourishing the wound rather than receiving the balm of grace that heals our hearts and minds.

So I pray that I along with you can practice the art of mercy with ourselves as an extension of the grace that Jesus has given us freely. It will help cut down on the head injury treatments if nothing else.

Grace to you and peace of our Lord Jesus,
Dwight