Another place where the grittiness of love is lived out, is in forgiveness . Forgiveness is not rising nobly above the world, and dismissing the bad things that come our way as minor nuisances. Forgiveness is one of the grittiest tests of our love as Christians. And by rights, everything between us ought to be over. By rights, it ought to be open war, or at least total indifference, between you and me.
Forgiveness is a choice .
It is a deliberate choice, which we make each day. Before we can fully accept God's forgiving love for us, we must extend that same love to others. It's one of the grittiest things we can do. I had not planned to incorporate this incident into my sermon when I wrote my notes on Friday, but there you are. Forgiveness just comes up, day by day.