Yesterday, there was a conversation about inviting certain people for a reunion, but then it was quickly dismissed because at the last reunion, years ago, nobody brought the dish they were supposed to pass. They ate all of our food, drank all of our beverages. How could they do that? Don't they know better?
Well, this morning, I started to think about that, and I had all kinds of thoughts swirling in my head. I thought, how horrified would I be if I saw someone from a long time ago and all they remember about me was the last time they saw me, and it wasn't a good experience, let's say. Then I thought, wow, time has gone by, I'm not the same person I was back then. But they don't know that. Same with those folks and the reunion. Why couldn't I believe that maybe they had changed? Why isn't the same slack we give ourselves given to others? How many people do we know that we don't talk to anymore because of whatever action or whatever was said way back when that we didn't like. How many friendships are we missing out on because we fail to understand that these people sure could have changed, just like we have changed, for the better!
I think most times we will never know what impression we have left on the people we interact with daily. Maybe it's time to give second chances to people, so that we can erase that negative tape that's been playing in our heads with a new, fresher, better version. We would want that for ourselves, right?
We should at least be able to grant the grace God gives so freely to us, to others.
