WHEN THEY TRESPASS AGAINST US

I saw a sign in a church parking lot. It read: "Parking for Church UseOnly. Violators will be towed." I wondered if it might be moreeffective if some humor were used: "Parking for Church Use Only.Violators will be baptized." Or, "Violators will be expected totithe." That should clear the lot!I heard of one church that posted a sign that read, "We forgive thosewho trespass against us; but they will be towed all the same."We've all had people trespass against us in one way or another. And wehave each done our share of trespassing. The dictionary definestrespassing as any offense, transgression or error against others...That covers a tremendous territory. Our lives are full of trespasses,which is why an effective response to the trespasses of others is soessential to happy, healthy and whole living.In his book LEE: THE LAST YEARS, author Charles Flood reports thatafter the American Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Leevisited a Kentucky lady who took him to the remains of a grand oldtree in front of her house. There she bitterly cried that its limbsand trunk had been destroyed by Federal artillery fire. She looked toLee for a word condemning the North or at least sympathizing with herloss.After a brief silence, Lee said, "Cut it down, my dear Madam, andforget it." He seemed to know that as long as she continued to recounther losses, she'd never get over them. She had to release the Northfrom her debt in order to move on to healthy living.In the end, if we learn the power of releasing others from our debt,we will build the happy and productive lives we want. It may notalways be our first response, but it is our best final response tothose who trespass against us.