Our Responsibility to Forgive

One day, as I was on my way out to walk Comet (our beagle), we came across an old man who lives in the apartment complex. He started out saying hi and asking about Comet, and then somehow came to mentioning Michael Vick.  He said that Vick had asked Jesus for forgiveness, and therefore, we as Christians should forgive him also.

Now, I'll admit to being one who's held Vick to his sin of running a dog-fighting ring, especially when I see Pitbulls at the dog park and wonder how anybody could treat these loving dogs as he did.  Heck, for a while, I even rooted for the Redskins (I'm not a Redskins fan) when they played the Eagles (and I'm a Pennsylvania-born native).  But to hear that Michael Vick may have asked Jesus for forgiveness convicted me and led me to look into this.

Doing a Google search, I came across CNA (Catholic News Agency), and read: "In his statement after pleading guilty to charges that he ran an illegal dog-fighting ring, Vick told reporters: 'I'm upset with myself and, you know, through this situation I found Jesus and asked Him for forgiveness and turned my life over to God.'"

So looking at this, the question that has come to the minds of many is, "Did Vick sincerely mean it when he said he repented to Jesus and gave his life over to God?"

Here's my thought on this:  If Vick said he asked Jesus for forgiveness, and assuming that he did, then as Christians, it's our responsibility to not judge whether or not he did, but to forgive him also.  Let me explain.  We know that Jesus is capable and willing to forgive any and all sins if such people are to come to Him and ask for it, right?  So if Vick asked Jesus for forgiveness, then Jesus forgave him.  And if Jesus forgave Vick, then we as Christians need to also.  Why?  Because if we don't forgive Vick, then we're actually putting ourselves above God's judgment, taking the place of God, and telling God that His judgment is no good.  So if Jesus forgave Vick, then we, as Christians, need to also.

Now I can understand the emotions behind our not wanting to forgive Michael Vick (or somebody like him).  I can also understand wanting to observe and judge as to whether or not his life reflects his faith.  But I can say that I myself didn't change right away after accepting Jesus, but it was (and still is) more of a journey towards Him. With non-Christian surroundings, I'm willing to bet that Vick's on a journey, also.  So instead of holding a past sin against him (and we all have past sins we're not happy about, but which were forgiven), we should be praying for him, praying for Jesus' heart to take his over completely, and praying that he doesn't fall backwards in any way, especially since there is that possibility that Michael Vick may actually now be one of our brothers in Christ.

But now maybe Vick DIDN'T ask for forgiveness, and it was all just a means of receiving sympathy and good press.  Either way, judgment belongs to Jesus, for only HE knows the truth.  I believe our job as Christians is still to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he did, or to pray regularly that he will.  But either way again, God won't be mocked.

Keep in mind, I'm not saying we need to be fans of Michael Vick.  I'm just saying that if Jesus forgave him (and so many others that we may have grudges against), then we need to also.