James had a post with that title about a week ago which set me thinking. That verse always sets me thinking, because so many of the explanations for it seem forced. Yet there it is, Jesus said it, and he clearly meant something by it. I am more comfortable with the enjoinder to be "wise as serpents, harmless as doves," which is a similar sentiment but more full.
I was pleased today to have it occur to me that there is a place where I do understand how being as a little child was the better way, and that is in the area of apologies. It is adults who try to slip in evasions that other people seem to think they did something wrong with no personal acknowledgement of that, and they only did it in the first place because of the bad things you had done to them. It is often not even 10% of what an apology should be.
Children also try to be evasive, but they aren't very good at it, and you can usually get them to give the simple direct apology "I'm sorry I took your sandwich," or "I'm sorry I said bad things about you to Madison," followed by an appropriate corrective such as "I'll bring you a sandwich tomorrow," and a promise such as "I won't do it again." I don't see that much else is needed, even for complicated adult situations. Start with a child's apology.
The purpose of apology and forgiveness is reconciliation. If you can get that, it might not matter much how you got there. If you can't get reconciliation it is always a bit tragic, even if you have done everything you reasonably could.
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