Forgiveness
Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:27 am
A Sack of Potatoes
A teacher once told each of her students to bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes to school.
For every person they refuse to forgive in their life's experience, they chose a potato, wrote on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag.
They were told to carry this bag with them everywhere for one week, putting it beside their bed at night, on the car seat when driving, on their lap when riding, next to their desk during classes.
Some of their bags became quite heavy. The hassle of lugging this around with them made it clear what a weight they were carrying spiritually, and how they had to pay attention to it all the time, to not forget or keep leaving it in embarrassing places.
Naturally, the potatoes became moldy, smelly, and began to sprout "eyes".
Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person, and it clearly is for ourselves! To forgive unloads what would otherwise become a heavy, rotting burden.
~ Author Unknown
I think the message here applies to the forgiveness we need to give ourselves for our own flaws and idiosyncrasies, problematic as they may seem at times.
A teacher once told each of her students to bring a clear plastic bag and a sack of potatoes to school.
For every person they refuse to forgive in their life's experience, they chose a potato, wrote on it the name and date, and put it in the plastic bag.
They were told to carry this bag with them everywhere for one week, putting it beside their bed at night, on the car seat when driving, on their lap when riding, next to their desk during classes.
Some of their bags became quite heavy. The hassle of lugging this around with them made it clear what a weight they were carrying spiritually, and how they had to pay attention to it all the time, to not forget or keep leaving it in embarrassing places.
Naturally, the potatoes became moldy, smelly, and began to sprout "eyes".
Too often we think of forgiveness as a gift to the other person, and it clearly is for ourselves! To forgive unloads what would otherwise become a heavy, rotting burden.
~ Author Unknown
I think the message here applies to the forgiveness we need to give ourselves for our own flaws and idiosyncrasies, problematic as they may seem at times.
Seriously, that was a great little parable. Thanks for sharing. I've been working on lightening my own load for a while now.