Tuesday, March 1
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
If you’ve ever been to the backwoods and farms of Michigan, it’s likely you’ve seen a “No Trespassing” sign. Actually, it’s likely you’ve seen hundreds of them, posted on trees and fencelines in bright blazeorange. Those signs signal a few things, first that you’re about to enter onto private property, and secondyou’re not welcome there. It could mean that the owner doesn’t want you to hunt on their land, or it’s not safe to do so. It could mean that new trees or plants have been planted there and you could damage something. It could mean that the farmer has existing trees or plants on that land and disturbing them could ruin a whole ecosystem, putting the owner’s yearly income in jeopardy.
Most locals know that if you talk to the farmer down the street, he’ll allow you to enter his property. He’ll want you to have a reason and he’ll judge if you have proven you are responsible enough to care for his land like he himself would. Locals actually like it when their trusted neighbors walk the propertybecause if something’s amiss, the neighbor will speak up.
But the signs still prevail. Outsiders not allowed.
I’d say we protect our hearts in similar fashion. We don’t let just anyone in. There’s a careful vetting process. Even after all of that, we still mess up. We step on each other’s feelings, we make mistakes and we hurt someone else or we get hurt. This happens to humans as early as birthbabies who come out of the womb already betrayed. It happens as late as death, people who die with things left unsaid. It happens all in between.
Is it even enough to pray this prayer for forgiveness only once a week? Is this prayer“forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”– merely a recognition that we are not perfect, or is it a reminder that there is work to do? The answer to that is probably both, and then some.
Perhaps we should have more signs to remind us to tread lightly.
Prayer: God, help us to be good neighbors. Help us to tread lightly when we deal with each other. Teach us to speak with love instead of anger. Forgive us when we fail, and help us to forgive when it is needed most. Amen.
–Dawn Sorensen