Change > Forgiveness > Serving > Whose your Daddy?

Session Date: November 2, 2004
Topic: Change and Serving

I was thinking we were going to continue discussing what it takes to change. When we got in group one of the guys was struggling with forgiving someone, so we turned and discussed that.

that's one of the good things about Yokefellow sessions - discussion topics can change depending on the needs of the group. I remember a woman from a different county jail telling me years ago that that was one of the things she really like about the Yokefellow volunteers. "We can ask you guys questions and talk about things." She said other bible study leaders came in with strict agendas and did not welcome questions or discussion.

So we turned and talked about forgiveness. What was the circumstance? What advice did the others have for the one inmate that brought up the issue?

We discussed why we should forgive people. I presented that I forgive people because of Jesus. Not because someone deserves it (that would make me a judge), or because they are nice, or I am nice, but because of the awesome sacrifice of Christ.

We got out our bibles and read John 13 (Jesus washes the disciples feet) and discussed what that meant for the disciples and for us today.

This took us to a discussion of "Who is your master?" If Jesus is our master, and he forgives us, and tells us to forgive others, isn't that pretty clear? Perhaps if we are not forgiving, we have not recognized Jesus in the situation.

Discussion questions: What advice do you have for someone who is struggling to forgive someone? On what reason do you forgive? Who are you serving?