Forgiveness

I thought about forgiveness today.

Someone  told me this morning a long jagged personal story. It started with him openly cheating on his wife by living with another woman for months and only expatiated to involving children and acts of violence on the family. It all extended a few years in duration. A story similar to others I’ve heard many times.

However, this story was uncommon for two reasons. One, it wasn’t the victim telling me the story- it was the perpetuator. Two, he was forgiven.

I feel the stir within you.

He said that it had happened years ago. He emphasized that his wife accepted him back and he truly felt she and their children had forgiven him. He believed this as fact. He felt he would sense any residual anger his wife and kids would have from his misbehavior years ago and instead he felt only complete forgiveness from them. His body language lucidly expressed his conviction.

What would the betrayed, abused wife say if I asked her? How about the children who had witnessed and incurred violence?

I am not sure. But it did make me think about forgiveness today.