For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matt.6:14-15
Do you not think all heaven would look upon you with pleasure if you should open your heart to the pitying love of Christ. Satan will be highly pleased to have you cherish an unforgiving spirit instead of drawing together in even cords. But Jesus, who places a high value upon man, is grieved to see division among brethren.
I wish we could all be as Jesus has given us an example in His life. He came not to destroy men’s lives but to save them. He used His powers to bless but never to hurt. His words, His bearing, and His work were full of divine tenderness. Nothing could disturb His absolute patience. Letter 46, April 22, 1887
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment and cast lots. Luke 23:34
Jesus made no murmur of complaint; His face remained pale and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death-dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. He was treading the winepress all alone; and of all the people there was none with Him. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, and He was enduring the most acute agony, Jesus prayed for His enemies. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. BLJ 24.3
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Act 7:59
When Stephen was called upon to suffer for Christ’s sake, he did not waver. He read his fate in the cruel faces of his persecutors, and he did not hesitate to give to them the last message which he was to bear to men. He looked up and said, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. All heaven was interested in this case.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Romans 8:35-37.
God’s servants receive no honor or recognition from the world. Stephen was stoned because he preached Christ and Him crucified. Paul was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and finally put to death, because he was a faithful messenger of God to the Gentiles. The apostle John was banished to the Isle of Patmos, “for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 1:9
These examples of human steadfastness in the might of divine power are a witness to the world of the faithfulness of God’s promises, of His abiding presence and sustaining grace. AG 280.2