Monday 15 June 2026
1 Kings 21:1-16. Lord, listen to my groaning – Ps 5:2-3, 5-7. Matthew 5:38-42.
Choose to let go of hurt
The old ways of ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ are condemned in the reading. A new way of radical generosity and encounter is offered in place of what was. The reading speaks to our human nature. When we have been hurt, our automatic response is to hit back. It might be less graphic, but ‘bad thoughts’ about another or ‘venting with a little venom’ become part of our nature. The more we respond in a negative way, the more hardwired the behaviour becomes. Consider acceptance and curiosity as helpful replacements. You do not need to become a doormat or be deluded into thinking there is no accountability if you forgive. Responding does require you to be able to let go of any hurt, and that requires a choice. I hope for you that the choice you make next time is the new way.
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