FORGIVENESS AND CONSEQUENCES

    All my life there seems to be a confliction between forgiveness, and paying the price for what I or someone else has regrettably done. There's a very common belief that God forgives everybody. A blanket forgiveness you might say.
     Now I dont think anyone disagrees that if he exists, (Which I firmly believes he does) he is beyond our little world in a different dimension. To be met with in a world beyond ours and after death.
     I say "mostly" because I do believe in miracles and although unexplained, they do happen. As a result of  my belief in God , I also believe he has Angels out here on earth to watch over our behavior. I don't question his reasons nor do I understand some of them. I do know it happens for the good of all humanity.
     With that said, his basic rules for guiding us through life are in the Ten Commandments. Whether or not you believe that God exists, you have to admit it is a good set of rules to go by if we want a decent civil life ahead of us.
     It's when we forget the Devil exists that we follow temptation and a violation of the basic rules is committed that we get in trouble. Now the the question comes, what do we do about it? After all, God wants us to forgive, right? Right. But should there be consequences ? Of course! The penance must also be administered or they won't quit doing it. Whether or not we believe in God , there needs to be punishment here on earth of some sort before they meet their maker. God will do what he thinks is right in the end.
    In other words, He has to depend on us to keep this wagon rolling straight and on the beaten path. He will handle things after that.
     In the meantime we have our job dealing with the devil, and the way politics can be so dishonest these days, he could be sitting right next to you and, if they have no belief in God, will lie to you and/or cheat with no fear of consequence. They can be with you in church and singing the same song if they think you will see things their way. If it's a non-believing politician, he's only after your money and your vote.
     Beware of that wolf in sheep's clothing. With no belief in God, there's no fear of moral consequence. With no fear of consequence, they are morally opening the door to do whatever suits their desires.
     I had a friend with a son that was misbehaving and in his late teens, He gave him some good advice. He showed him the door and said; "Get out and don't come back until you're a priest"!!
      I'm sure God wants us to forgive. But forgetting can be a little more difficult and you'd be a fool to discard the memory.
     Remembering is a preventative tool, giving you the ability to not let it happen again.
      Only a fool who has been hurt by someone he or she has loved unconditionally, would forget and allow themselves to be offended again.
      How many times have you had someone do, or say things to you that you, for the want to remain friends, would never say or do to them?
      For the sake of God, forgiving is easy, but forgetting is not. Just sayin'.