Roses of Forgiveness

I smiled when I saw a newly planted rosebush along the side of the church. But not everyone was happy about it. “People cannot do whatever they want on church property without proper approval,” someone remarked as they entered through the door.

“No one asked the church board for permission.” The sermon that day emphasized church unity. The pastor began by reading, “Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1, KJV). Referring to the little foxes that spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15), he admonished the church family to strive for victory over minor differences.

As the congregation dispersed, the organist played “Blest Be the Tie That Binds.” Might roses inspire unity and forgiveness? By summertime, the rose’s perfume pervaded the air, instilling a sweeter spirit between the members.

In autumn, leaves fell, and cold winds chilled the air.

Many folks sighed that the roses would soon be gone, but they kept blooming well into December. Near the end of the year, a heavy snowfall caused church services to be canceled. Right after that, an ice storm downed local power lines, which prevented us from reopening.

What had happened to the roses? In January, a slight warming trend brought a partial thaw, and worship services resumed.

My boots crunched through the slush along the walkway to the church.

I glanced toward the rosebush, now bare.

Then something pink caught my eye.

Curious, I sifted through shards of melting ice to retrieve—a rose petal! How extraordinary, I thought as I held the damp, unspoiled petal.

Some years later, a relationship meltdown left me cold and bitter.

One day, my son sent me a picture he had taken of a single peony petal positioned on black velvet. The satiny pink petal in the picture reminded me of the rose petal I had found preserved in ice. At that moment, I envisioned Jesus in great agony on the cross, praying, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34, NKJV).

The matchless love of Jesus thawed my icy heart. I also needed forgiveness.

Though long overdue, forgiving and asking forgiveness freed me from the pain of anger and bitterness. When we forgive others, Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, infuses our hearts with the fragrance of His love!

Jeanne B. Woolsey