Pastor Chad’s miniscule boo-boo gives us a chance to hear and to accept a sincere apology. It also gives us a chance to consider how we apologize to God and to others
Pastor Chad’s apology has all the classic elements of an apology: accepting personal responsibility, showing remorse, offering an explanation, making a plan not to do it again in the future and actually saying sorry.
Lent is a time of making apologies. It a time when we think of all the ways we need to say sorry to God for our sin. It’s also a time when we do our best to be right with each other.
Some apologies we find in the Bible are in Psalm 32 and Psalm 51, where the poet expresses all these things before God.
How do you respond when someone apologizes to you? A simple “thank you” and “I accept your apology” is appropriate.
When you accept an apology, do so graciously and sincerely without any attempt to insult or humiliate the apologizer. Do not exploit the vulnerability exposed as they apologize. Use this as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship and not as an opportunity to inflict harm. Leland R. Beaumont
When God hears our apologies, he accepts them because of his love for us in Christ. Because of the cross we have forgiveness and a strengthened relationship with God.
God bless us all as we live together, make mistakes, hurt each other, apologize and accept each other back.