“Personal Liberation - The Art of Forgiveness – Part IV”
Esau’s personal accountability yields his forgiveness of Jacob. As Esau straightforwardly admits his shortcomings, he sees that Jacob exploited them. Equally, Esau reflects upon his choices and sees the ways in which he could have made better decisions. Perhaps, he discovers that he would have committed the same deeds as Jacob did had he been Jacob? Nevertheless, the combination of a vibrant relationship with God and an increasing understanding of God’s incredible love enable Esau to forgive his brother. Esau appreciates God who loves him and also loves Jacob. Esau admits that God’s heart is big enough to love him and his betraying and deceitful brother. Esau new appreciation for God’s indescribable love empowers Esau to love Jacob and totally forgive him.
Forgiveness means relinquishment of your right to punishment. It is synonymous with a pardon in which the original offense is eliminated from the record as if it never occurred. Absolutely no punishment is given because a crime was never committed. Additionally, one agrees to allow God to handle the punishment. God requires our forgiveness of others in order for us to receive His forgiveness. This spiritual principle of reciprocity runs throughout the Bible.
Over the course of twenty years, God miraculously works within Esau’s heart. He transforms it from the heart of a bloodthirsty murderer to a pure channel of love and forgiveness. In Genesis 33:19, Esau runs to his brother, embraces him, kisses him and weeps with him. The tenth verse of that passage depicts one of the most powerful portraits of love and forgiveness in the Bible. Jacob tells Esau that seeing his face is like seeing the face of God. A man who twenty years previously deeply desired to kill his brother now freely loves him.
I ask “Can anyone say that he or she has looked into your face and seen the face of God because you have forgiven them?” Esau’s incredible journey to interpersonal healing and spiritual wholeness demonstrates the blessings and liberty that awaits the people who follow his example. Esau achieves the ultimate freedom because he discards years of negativity. He becomes a channel of the love, mercy, forgiveness, grace and peace of God. In addition, he is able to more greatly receive all of those divine attributes. Accordingly, we stand to obtain the same inner healing and wholeness if we willingly travel Esau’s path to forgiveness.
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