the WHY

Some of the people who know me really well have referred to me as The Why Girl (now I work out at the 'Y' and really like it, but that is something different entirely) because in order for me to be able to forgive someone, or myself, it is really helpful for me to know the why. I have thought this to be beneficial in my job. It might go something like this:

"What?! You beat and abuse your child?! How could you?"

And the full story unfolds from same person:

"When I was a child my father kept me in a closet for four days, giving me only water and coming in to beat me without warning."

"Oh...." I now say. "No wonder you beat your own child. I am so sorry...." (a bit oversimplified... but you get the picture.) And now forgiveness comes easily.

Yesterday in a discussion with someone it was pointed out to me that Jesus does not ask the 'why'. Case in point: the woman at the well. Jesus only tells her He knows of her sins for her benefit. So she won't walk away from Him saying, "Oh sure. He says He forgives me but if He only knew...."

Jesus forgives us based on His unconditional love for us. Done deal. I am struggling with the knowledge that Jesus does, in fact, know the things that have damaged us. But I am now thinking that/wondering if what Jesus actually models for us is not the need to know the 'why' but the requirement to love whether we do or not.

I am going to have to think about this for a really long time.