Forgiveness and Love

In Luke 15, we read a story that shows the love of a father for his son. Even after his son has done wrong and has turned his back on him by going off to another land, the father still loves him and welcomes him back home with open arms and embraced him. the father gave him the nicest of everything when he returned home because his son was found. This is the same principle today, people do wrong, realize it, come back to the 'good people' wanting forgiveness and love. They deserve it, they, too, once were lost but now are found.

I was thinking, do I do this in my own life? My parents, friends, brother, strangers, people at school, everyone?

I'd love to think I welcomed everyone back 'home' with open arms and a feast, but I don't?

This is something that I really, really, really need to work on. I need to forgive no matter what happened or what I feel like. Who cares how wrong someone has done me. Who cares if I don't agree with choices people make, but how am I going to impact their life in anyway if I don't accept them and their flaws with love and open arms? They aren't going to see any good in me if I just give them the cold shoulder.

What is a way that you can improve in this area? Is it that you put on a good front of love, acceptance and forgiveness, and your heart needs work? Or are you like me and your heart and actions need work?

I pray that I do a better job engaging in the act of forgiveness. I pray that love is the only thing that fills my heart, I pray that this love comes from the Lord. I pray that others see this love and forgiveness in me and know that there is no other person it comes from except for the Lord.