Marigny Teagarden

The meaning of forgiveness and righteousness.

How long have you been with St. Alban's: 4 months

Ministries connected with: College Ministry

Central Verse: So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.

Click here to read the appointed scripture for the Friday in the First Week of Lent.

Devotional

The text from Mathew 5:20-26 makes me reflect on what true righteousness really means, especially in times of conflict.  I can find times in my own life where I could have been better at finding peace and forgiving others.  When we feel that someone has hurt us deeply, it is extremely hard to truly forgive them even though we know forgiveness is the right thing to do. 

By looking at this text, we can see that true righteousness does not just include not committing violence but includes not holding grudges and finding peace and forgiveness towards your neighbors.  The idea of true righteousness is much easier said than done.  When reflecting on the passage, I realized that the challenge with true righteousness is that many times conflict is hard to overcome and forgive.  Sometimes finding a middle ground is key to being able to forgive, find peace, and realize that it is okay to agree to disagree with your neighbors. 

I will personally be able to apply this passage to my own life by remembering that true righteousness goes beyond not committing violence.  It includes finding a sense of humility in yourself that allows for the ability to forgive others and find a sense of peace towards your neighbors.