Getting Rid of Baggage 卸下重担
Dexu Xia
Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him. Genesis 33:4
In college, I studied William Shakespeare’s writing for a semester. The class required a giant textbook containing everything Shakespeare had ever written. The book weighed several pounds, and I had to carry it for hours at a time. Lugging that weight around caused my back to hurt, and it eventually broke a metal fastener on my bookbag!
Some things are just too heavy for us to carry. Emotional baggage from past hurt, for example, can weigh us down with bitterness and hatred. But God wants us to have freedom through forgiving people and, when possible, reconciling with them (Colossians 3:13). The deeper the pain, the longer this may take. That’s okay. It took many years for Esau to forgive Jacob for stealing his birthright and blessing (Genesis 27:36).
When the two finally reunited, Esau graciously forgave his brother and even “embraced him” (33:4). Not a word was exchanged before they both burst into tears. Over time, Esau had let go of the anger that made him consider murder (27:41). And all those years gave Jacob the chance to see the magnitude of how he’d harmed his brother. He was humble and respectful throughout the reunion (33:8-11).
In the end, both brothers came to the place where neither required anything from the other (vv. 9, 15). It was enough to forgive and be forgiven and walk away free from the heavy baggage of the past.
What types of offenses are hardest for you to forgive? How does forgiving others reflect your relationship with your heavenly Father?
Dear God, please set me free from bitterness and anger.
以扫跑来迎接他，将他抱住。—创世记33章4节
在大学时期，我修读了一学期莎士比亚的文学创作。这门课程需要一本厚重的教科书，里面完整地收录了莎士比亚所有的作品。这本书有好几公斤重，而每次我都得背上好几个小时。背着这样的重担走来走去，令我腰酸背痛，甚至把我书包上的金属扣给弄断了！
有些事物太过沉重，令人不堪负荷。例如，过往的伤害带来的情感包袱，其中的痛苦和仇恨将我们压垮。但上帝要我们藉由原谅别人得释放，并在可能的情况下，与对方和好（歌罗西书3章13节）。伤害越深，就需要越长的时间才能释怀。但不要紧，就像雅各夺取了以扫的长子名分和祝福（创世记27章36节），然而在多年之后，以扫才终于原谅了他。当兄弟俩相聚时，以扫宽容地原谅了弟弟，甚至“将他抱住”（33章4节）。二人抱头痛哭，一切尽在不言中。以扫原本想杀害雅各（27章41节），随着时光流逝，以扫平息怒火。这些年来，雅各也有机会反省对哥哥造成多大的伤害。在整个相聚的过程中，雅各显得谦卑又恭敬（33章8-11节）。最后，兄弟俩都放下仇恨、不计较得失（9、15节）。只要能原谅别人，或是得到别人的原谅，就可以卸下过去沉重的包袱得着释放。作者： 史珍妮
对于别人的冒犯，哪一种是你最难原谅的呢？能够原谅别人，如何反映出你与天父的关系？
亲爱的上帝，请帮助我脱离怨恨和愤怒