Aaaahhhhhhh!

That’s probably not the completion of this famous quote by Maya Angelou- “When people show you who they are, believe them” you were expecting; but a few days ago I thought about this quote and how many times I’ve used it. I started to wonder, what about if we just forgave, leaving room for change. 

Now before y’all start jumping down my throat with “buts”.…hear me out!

When I started to delve a little deeper into the concept of the original quote, I thought, it leaves no room for grace, forgiveness, and the possibility of that person changing. I imagine that the root of this statement stems from someone repeating a pattern of behavior that left the other person exasperated from the “other” person not demonstrating any change.

Yet, I feel this statement eliminates the possibility and rejects the notion that someone may change, that people can change.

As a Christian, I subscribe to the idea of redemption and restoration, and if I believe that to be true, then I cannot subscribe to this philosophy quoted in the original statement. I must be willing to forgive a person in their worst moments. I am not saying I become a doormat for abuse and pain or condone deplorable behavior or not denounce evil. I am simply saying we should never throw people away that are showing a glimpse of change. If we do that then we show an intolerance that can turn people away.

Listen, I am no Pollyanna! I simply want folks I encounter to walk away knowing that I will not judge them or hold them hostage for the worst moments in their life. If they are putting in the work to walk away from ways that have not been complimentary, then who am I to tell them differently. I know this is not a popular stance, but in my Christian faith, it’s the only stance. 

Redemption is for everyone.

We judge as if we have never experienced a bad moment or behaved rudely, selfishly or inappropriately and we have the nerve to focus on someone’s brokenness.

I know how much I have been forgiven so how could I dare not forgive.

I also know how much I’ve changed, so how can I not leave room for the “hope” that someone else can.

When someone shows me who they are, I will choose to forgive them and move on from their past leaving them with room for them to evolve.

That’s an act of walking on water. 

Believing the impossible to be possible.