The Savior commanded His followers to resolve their difference early "lest the passion of the moment escalate into physical or emotional cruelty, and we fall captive to our anger," said Elder David E. Sorensen of the Presidency of the Seventy.
In his Saturday morning address, Elder Sorensen declared forgiveness can change bitterness to love.
He spoke of growing up in a small farming town where water was the lifeblood of the community. A pair he called Chet and Walt who had been boyhood friends had an ongoing dispute over irrigation water. Each felt the other was stealing from his own precious share. The animosity eventually turned to violence, ending when Walt accidently struck one of Chet's eyes with a shovel, leaving him blind in that eye.
Years passed, yet Chet could not forgive and forget, Elder Sorensen said. One day Chet pulled down his gun, devised a plan and waited for Walt to appear, then shot and killed him.
How tragic "that these two neighbors and boyhood friends had fallen captive to their anger and let it destroy their lives," Elder Sorensen said. "How tragic that the passion of the moment was allowed to escalate out of control — eventually taking the lives of both men — simply because two men could not forgive each other over a few shares of irrigation water."
Christ's admonition to resolve differences quickly is especially applicable in family relationships, he added. Everyone, at some point, will have a reason to take offense.
"In much of today's popular culture, the virtues of forgiveness and kindness are belittled, while ridicule, anger and harsh criticism are encouraged," Elder Sorensen said. "If we are not careful, we can fall prey to these habits within our own homes and families and soon find ourselves criticizing our spouse, our children or our extended family members."
Forgiveness of sins should not be confused with tolerating, accepting or ignoring evil, he added. Forgiveness is not easy.
"When we forgive others, it frees us to choose how we will live our own lives. Forgiveness means that problems of the past no longer dictate our future destinies and we can focus on the future with God's love in our hearts."
