Whenever I’m in need of inspiration for a sermon, I re-read Judgment and Love – it contains the exact sort of true stories of forgiveness and its life-altering impact that always translate well in the pulpit. This past week I heard a doozy of a new one – this actually happened (ht Will Kulseth):
At a boarding school for troubled teens in upstate NY, something terrible happened. Someone defecated in a trash can, and then smeared the contents all over the walls of one of the living rooms.
An assembly was called, and the headmaster, after voicing how upset he was about the incident, told the group that they were now going to sit there and wait for a confession. They sat for a long fifteen minutes, and then a student said: “I know who did it, and if he doesn’t confess soon, I’m going to tell on him.”
Finally a boy stood up and came forward. He said, “I did it”, not all that apologetically.
In perfect Luke-15-“While-he-was-still-far-off” fashion, the headmaster embraced the boy. He said: “Son, I’m proud of you for coming forward, and I want to tell you something very important: you are forgiven.”
He dismissed the assembly, and led the culprit with him back to the scene of the incident, where he had the boy sit in a chair facing the soiled wall. Then the principle cleaned up the mess by himself, while the boy sat there watching.
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7 responses to “A True, Radical And More Than A Little Scatalogical Story About Forgiveness”
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Amazing story. Even more amazing that Jesus cleaned the wall before we even confessed, and while we refused even to watch.
This post reminds me that forgiveness is one of the greatest blessings God forces out of the Old Adams through the Law. Life would be impossible on earth without forgiveness.
Forgiveness will perish with the earth along with all those who seek their life in that kind of righteousness, no matter that it is both beautiful and God´s Will to be done by pagan and christian alike.
This post has nothing to do with being a christian is what that means eh?
And this story neatly illustrates that very fact: that christians and pagans are in the same boat as to the need to be forgiven for their lack of forgiveness… and more importantly for their capacity to forgive irregardless of one´s faith or lack thereof!
Enjoy the blessings God works through the Law on Old Adams everywhere in the following links:
http://www.celebratelove.com/forgive.htm
http://www.learningtoforgive.com/steps.htm
http://www.forgiving.org/
http://theforgivenessproject.com/
http://www.forgiveness-institute.org/
Frank–When I see the headmaster lovingly embrace the guilty student, then take on himself the punishment of cleaning the filthy wall that the student has made, while the student does nothing but passively sit and watch this amazing act of love in response to his disgusting behavior, for some reason it reminds me of Jesus.
…and it also reminds me of me.
On stories for sermons:
Blog: Magdalene's Egg
Post: Sigh. Another Outburst of Pure Meanness from a Crotchety Blogger
Link: http://magdalenesegg.blogspot.com/2010/04/sigh-another-outburst-of-pure-meanness.html
michael.
great. law is always a rohrshack test isn´t it?
This story read to me like pure 200 proof law. Yes I caught the Jesus angle, and it was Jesus as example. the new moses. I wish I could do that. but I can´t
Now if the writer had been more specific and saying something actual with a direct connection to Jesus and a Gospel connection… Jesus as savior rather than example, then maybe a blockhead like me might have heard gospel.
Even Jesus, you know, in his very person , does not automatically equal Holy Gospel. Even Jesus hanging dead on the cross can be the must ultimate and powerful form of killing law that exists!
What changes all that from Law to Gospel is one small detail, that we appropriate this death and this Jesus and come to trust that it was done "for me". and so the metaphors become no longer necessary however good they are….
Frank–Man, you're a tough audience for "grace" metaphors, if this one doesn't pass the test! I was hoping the Lutherans were a little more chilled out than the Calvinists. Anyway, if I see Jesus as headmaster and me as the boy, this can't be Law. On the other hand, only if I am and remain the boy do I become, in some tiny flawed way, like the Headmaster.