“Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”

Last month I got invited to play an exclusive golf course in Nebraska (I don’t get to go until August, but very excited and grateful for the invitation).  As I was talking to the member who extended me the invitation he described the ethos of the membership as those who treat both the staff and the course with respect.  This got us discussing how so much of our work and our companies would be better if we did the same.  We all make mistakes or in the course of our work will leave our mark, which needs to be cleaned up.  On a golf course you repair your divots and ball marks but how often in the workplace do we consider that we need to do the same?  It might be a person who we disrespected or a project that we were late, or a report that we just didn’t give enough time. or effort. Regardless, if we were to go back and do our best to repair our work divots, we would all be that much better.

Repairing our life divots is not only about asking others to forgive us, but even harder is the forgiveness of others.  It’s good golf etiquette to not only repair your own divots and ball marks but also to repair one that someone else left behind.  This a a good lesson for us who play this life for the Kingdom.

Reference: Luke 17:4 (New Living Translation)