Post-it® notes and personal lists . . . where would we be without them? If you are anything like most folks I know, we use them for reminding us of things to do, meetings to attend, appointments to keep, and events to celebrate. In fact, on my desk right now I have seven different Post-it® notes. Sound familiar? Bottom line: reminders are needed to help us remember our responsibilities.
However, I have never seen a “forget-it” note or “not-to-do” list. Why? Because forgetting is usually NOT what we want to do. Forgetting meetings or events, appointments or arrangements, compromises our integrity. However, Christ does call us to forget some things; Scripture then offers us a “forget it” Post-it® note of sorts. And it turns out there are some things it’s okay to forget. Paul wrote to the Philippians: “One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14). Jesus hinted at this when He spoke out against a judgmental spirit. Read His words carefully.
“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:1–5)
So, as we talk about “forgetting,” let’s understand that we mean:
• Refusing to keep score (1 Corinthians 13:5)
• Being bigger than any offense (Psalm 119:165)
• Not harboring a judgmental attitude (Matthew 7:1–5)