Begin today’s lesson by discussing with your class the meaning and role of forgiveness in their lives.
- What does it mean to forgive someone? (The dictionary defines forgiveness as, “to stop feeling angry or resentful toward someone for an offense, flaw, or mistake.”)
- We all commit offenses, flaws, and mistakes, but how does it feel to have the wronged party forgive us for what we have done? (It can feel like an enormous weight is lifted off our shoulders, like we have our life back.)
- If it can feel so good and mean so much when someone forgives us for something bad we did, why then do we so often hold onto grudges and resentment toward people who have wronged us? (Often, we refuse to forgive because we don’t yet feel that the other person has earned it.)
- What kind of damage is caused by holding onto resentment? (Holding onto bitterness can affect us spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Allow your students to share specific consequences they have experienced or can think of.)
There is internal mental damage caused by harboring bitterness. However, the antidote to resentment, forgiveness, is actually good for our mental and physical health. Let’s watch a video to learn more about the health benefits of forgiveness.
Play the following video [3:39]:
The Health Benefits of Forgiveness
- What benefit of forgiveness most surprised you? Why? (Accept all reasonable responses.)
Ultimately, we have all had things done to us that we need to let go of, and likewise have done things we need mercy for. This video highlights how choosing forgiveness benefits us, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to do.
Thankfully, God has promised us both the strength to forgive and absolution for our sins as long as we are willing to repent. Today, we’ll look at the story of one young man who had done a lot of things he wasn’t proud of—let’s see whether he experienced forgiveness or not.
