It would seem that Vladimir Putin is unfamiliar with the saying that harbouring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. He’s clearly not the forgiving type and when he holds a grudge you can be sure it won’t be him drinking the poison! When asked what behaviour he could never forgive he replied, ‘treachery’. So, while Yevgeny Prigozhin has been pardoned for now, I’d be watching my back if I was him.
The truth is that unforgiveness hardens hearts, ruins lives and spoils relationships. Worse than that it mars the image of God in which we were made. A God whose very essence is love and who created us to live lives characterised by that same love. A love that always seeks to bring healing and reconciliation where there has been conflict and hurt. To seek to forgive is to walk in step with Jesus who spoke forgiveness over those who had nailed him to the cross. To harbour a grudge simply gives space for bitterness and evil to grow.
Like Putin all of us can take offence and harbour a grudge. That’s easy. Far harder is finding the grace to forgive and to seek reconciliation and peace. But I know which choice makes the world a better place.