Abimelech said, "Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you want." Genesis 20:15
Abraham and Sarah are rambling along and they get caught up in Abimelech's territory. Abimelech, under the impression Sarah was Abe's sister, snatches her away from Abraham. Guess who didn't like that scenario? You guessed it- the Lord. The Man Himself straightened that out with Abimelch in a dream (which is always fun), and threatened some badness if Sarah wan't returned to Abraham pronto. Now get your minds out of the gutter because for once, there's no action here.
Even so, check out how far Abimelech goes to apologize to Abraham and Sarah. That brother slam- dunked his restitution. In return for taking Abe's wife, Abimelech gave them sheep and cattle and male and female slaves (they dealt in slaves and harems), not to mention 1,000 pieces of silver, and if that's not enough tells them they can take all their stuff and live wherever they want on his land. He wasn't kidding around- he was for real sorry (even though he didn't even hook up with Sarah). We should all be like Abimelech when we apologize to someone.
I tell you the truth, when someone disrespects me, and I'm hopping mad, and they walk up and say, "I'm sorry" to me and then walk away and the whole thing takes about two seconds... call me crazy but I'm not buying it. One little apology and you think you're cleared? No way. There seems to be a movement where saying sorry is supposed to be enough and if the offended doesn't accept it right away they're immature and high-maintenance and needy. I gong that with a big fat mallot and declare that when people apologize they need to go a wee bit overboard like Abimelech did and show, not just tell, the offended just how sorry they really are. Be effusive, write a card, give a gift, spend your time and money... now you're getting it. Sorry doesn't count except in horshoes and hand grenades so just be honest and cop to them how much you suck. Then the next time when the tables are turned, they will probably tell you how much they suck. Best idea ever: Let's just finally admit to each other how much we all pretty much suck most of the time.
Am I saying don't be quick to forgive? No way. I'm saying sometimes it takes a person a while to cool down if you really did something to mess with them, intentionally or not. They will thaw out out a lot more easily if you pile on the love, the humility, the effort. When you really mean it and really mean it big it is so much easier for them to say "No probs, it's all good," which is what we all want to happen in the end.
P.S. Whatever I did I am so totally sorry I suck so bad.
Am I saying don't be quick to forgive? No way. I'm saying sometimes it takes a person a while to cool down if you really did something to mess with them, intentionally or not. They will thaw out out a lot more easily if you pile on the love, the humility, the effort. When you really mean it and really mean it big it is so much easier for them to say "No probs, it's all good," which is what we all want to happen in the end.
P.S. Whatever I did I am so totally sorry I suck so bad.
