Going forward by releasing the past

What am I willing to let go of?

There’s the old story of the monkey who put his hand into a coconut. He found something inside, and wrapped his fingers around it. However, he couldn’t get his hand out again, because in holding onto the treasure, his hand became a fist – too large to remove from the hole. This was the monkey’s dilemma – hang onto the treasure and be stuck in the coconut, or let go of the treasure and be free from the coconut.

Here’s a variation on the coconut theme. Once a an anxious man came running to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to have eternal life. They talked awhile, and Jesus found the man was already doing all the right things. Then came the clincher. “Sell everything you have and give it to the poor. And follow me.” The poor fellow couldn’t do it. He couldn’t let go of everything that seemed important to him, in order to follow Christ.

Progress is a lot like that. So often we have to let go of some perceived treasure before we can go forward. It might be material wealth. It might be attachment to things. Often as not, though, it’s some mental dependence. Sometimes it’s resentment or anger. And you know what? Most of us are reluctant to let go until it really hurts. And sometimes not even then. Sometimes we’d rather die than forgive somebody!

Students, staff, friends and families at Virginia Tech will have plenty of opportunity to figure out how to let go of the past in order to go forward. I wish them well as they sort through emotions, decisions, and determining what’s really important in their lives.

I’ve never been in the position of being shot at, or watching my friends shot or killed, or learning they’ve been killed. So I can only speak from what I know. And that is my conviction in a loving God who comforts and guides those who turn to Him/Her for consolation. From this infinite goodness comes the power to let go of whatever doesn’t bless us. With that letting go, healing and progress can take place.