“Forgiveness is the fragrance of the flower that clings to the heel that crushed it.” -Unknown

Wow! When my friend gave me this saying she had come across, I was a bit overwhelmed. This is loaded.

First of all, I go through the issues of knowing my pride does not want to forgive others. I also battle with the misuse of forgiveness as an excuse for sin (we change Romans 6:2). When I forgive someone it does not justify their sin. Forgiveness gives up the right to exact justice for the wrong.

As I look at the saying, I start at the end. A wrong can be like someone stepping on a flower – thus crushing it. Sin causes damage. The beauty of forgiveness is that even though the flower is crushed, it still has fragrance. A beautiful fragrance. That oil of fragrance will stay on “the heel that crushed it.”

Our sin nature will often struggle with the misuse of forgiveness – both on the giving and receiving end. However, God has given us the beautiful fragrance of Christ’s forgiveness as an example. Let’s share it appropriately with each other.