Genesis 33:12–17 (ESV)

Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.”

So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.

There’s a wonderful scene in “Goodwill Hunting” of a dialogue between the psychiatrist and Will:
“It’s not your fault.”                          “I know.”
“It’s not your fault.”                          “I know!”
“It’s not your fault.”                          “I KNOW!”
“It’s not your fault.”                          “DON’T MESS WITH ME MAN!”
“It’s not your fault.”                          Will breaks down crying,

Breakthrough, at last. Will is starting to get it, and healing is about to begin. There’s a lesson like that for Christians—one that we memorize and “know,” but we don’t really get.

You are forgiven. You are forgiven. You are forgiven. Just as Jacob cannot accept that Esau has really, fully forgiven him, many of us cannot accept that God has really, fully forgiven us.

God’s forgiveness is straight in-your-face forgiveness. He didn’t miss anything. He knows what you did.

Consider the parable of the vineyard laborers in Matthew 20:1–16. The laborers who only worked one hour got the same pay as the ones who worked all day. Some folks interpret this passage as saying that life’s not fair. That’s wrong; grace is fair. It would be unfair only if someone got less than they deserved.

But let’s give the vineyard parable a twist. Imagine if the 11^th hour laborers were the ones complaining. They struggled to accept their excessive pay; it offended their sense of fairness. Silly, right?

Maybe not. Do you struggle to accept God’s grace? Do you really think it’s okay that you’re forgiven?

We all have an innate sense of justice, which can be triggered even when we’re not the victim. So, how about when we’re the beneficiaries? Can that bother us too?

What do you do when a waiter doesn’t charge you for something? Pointing it out will make extra work and maybe embarrass him. Do you just bump the tip to make the total right? Is that even acceptable?

God’s grace is much more. We can’t make the “total” right. We have to just relax and let Him be God.

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NASB stands for the New American Standard Bible. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.