Letting Jesus Love Jerks
Even if you have every right to be angry at someone, even if your desire for revenge is perfectly justified, even if someone you forgive for hurting you doesn’t care; doesn’t care about you; doesn’t care about the fact that you forgave them; and will probably proceed to hurt someone else, even if a hateful person broke your favorite toy or your one-of-a-kind piece of art or your heart, the more valuable option is frequently to allow Jesus to prove to the jerk how much He loves them. To allow Him to prove it through you.
Christ in you is your hope of having access now and later to glory.
And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit, who sealed you for the day of redemption. All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ. Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
(Ephesians 4:30-5:2 HCSB ©®)