How Could Carolyn Forgive Her Daughter?

Carolyn told of a problem with her daughter Julie that she had been trying for several days to find a Scriptural answer to. Julie had sneaked out of the house with her red sweater on Sunday and just the day before Carolyn had forbidden her to wear her sweaters.

"I wrote her a letter and told her I was hurt and angry and that I want her to develop character but she had both lied and stolen.

"But since then I've not felt right towards Julie. There's no longer a closeness between us. I want to fully forgive her but I just can't. What about the verse, 'If a brother takes thy coat, give him thy cloak also.' Do you think I should give her the sweater?"

My initial response was to say that verse surely did not apply, but I hesitated. Perhaps God was speaking to her and this was His solution.

"The instruction to give your coat is like the one to go an extra mile. The one who goes the extra mile is the one who benefits. His resentful feelings melt away when he does the extra. So if you give your sweater to Julie, it's for your benefit rather than hers. It may benefit her, too, because submitting to Scripture has its effect on our children."

Two days later Carolyn called and joyfully reported, "It worked! I gave her my sweater and all my hard feelings melted away. Julie said, 'You're doing this because of some Bible verse, aren't you?'"

Thank You, Jesus, that Your Word always has a solution to our problems.

"Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others" (Colossians 3:13 NLT).