Word for the day: “Forgiveness matters.”
I John 4:20 (NKJV) If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
Beloved leaders,
Today’s message encourages leadership professionals, personally and practically, to remember that forgiveness matters. There will always be an opportunity to forgive someone. The challenge is whether we will forgive, and whether forgiveness will help remediate the despair we often experience on life’s journey.
LEARN TO FORGIVE AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
Living in forgiveness toward others does not mean pretending or having a Kum ba yah disposition. Kum ba yah is an African American spiritual often associated with not making any waves or letting us all get along.
It does not exonerate the guilty from the demand for justice. It does not ignore one’s hurt. Forgiving does not mean forgetting. To truly forgive, we must remember. How can we forgive for something we don’t admit happened? Forgiving also doesn’t mean trusting someone who betrayed you; I’m simply saying we can forgive and still maintain healthy boundaries.
In addition, I’m saying forgiveness is the same as making amends, which means admitting one’s wrongdoing. As a Black man, I have forgiven those who have wronged me, whether in corporate America, my family, my friendships here in America, or those I’ve served in my leadership journey.
TODAY’S MESSAGE IS TO REMIND YOU THAT FORGIVENESS MATTERS.
I feel compelled even as I struggle in this season of my life. I’m writing as a step to address the elephant in the room and to help other people, especially Black people and all people who have been treated in a denigrating manner, continue our journey, and forgive. I also want to exhort White people to have authentic and meaningful interactions that lead to the change we all need.
I’m not saying that Black and other unrepresented people don’t have legitimate reasons to be angry, ready to fight, and take matters into their own hands. Especially with what’s evolved in our world over the last 60 years, and don’t forget this year 2025 is filled with atrocities in our society.
Not a forgiveness that says that racially motivated crimes are okay or that critical race theory is not being used covertly by the powers that be, as we see in today’s culture. But forgiveness is rooted in genuine, transformative dialogue about what’s been and still is wrong, and in sincerely endeavoring to make it right in our country and in our families.
Make right: The disparities in our social, economic, and political systems where underrepresented people are still marginalized, disenfranchised, and hatred is at an all-time high. I’ve never seen in all my years the dismantling of the nuclear family as I see it today. Maybe it’s been this way, and I’m older now and see things a little more clearly. There is still hope for so many of us, so let’s get to work. Our families and our country need healing more than ever before, and I am a proponent of that healing in the face of my own personal challenges.
POINT TO PONDER
America, come on; we are better than this.
Husband and Wife, we are better than this.
Families, we are better than this.
Law enforcement, we are better than this.
Political parties, we are better than this.
People, we are better than this.
Special Thanks,
Chief Encouragement Officer (CEO) James Baker, Jr., and our leadership team are incredibly thankful to those aligned with us. Help us equip this generation of leaders for their God-given assignments. Your generous donation supports our labor of love, From Grace and Truth Leadership's mission to embrace, empower, and encourage leaders and emerging leaders globally.