History of Forgive

The English language has a rich history. It is a mixture of the Germanic language layered with French and Latin vocabulary. Today’s English took its shape from centuries of invasion and trade. 

I am not trained in linguistics, but I do own a dictionary. My dictionary says that the word forgive in essence means “to give up, allow, remit” (a debt or offense). 

Further investigation of the word forgive informs me that the word is made up of two parts: the prefix for (meaning “completely” or “away”) and giefan (“to give”). Forgive means to give away entirely– to release a grievance or debt.

Then there is the Latin word perdonare. Per means thoroughly + donare meaning to give. Perdonare is Latin for pardon. Pardon is the act of forgiving.  

Which brings me to the notable quote for today:“Forgiveness is dropping your end of the rope in a tug-of-war.” Christine Betz Hall

Imagine, two people pulling opposite ends of a rope. There is visible tension. The rope is taut, tight, and tense. But so are the two people. You see strained muscles, clenched jaws, and a rigid stance. It is a contest between two opposing wills. It’s also a picture of unforgiveness, an unwillingness to drop our end, and walk away.

Sometimes I hear the phrase, “Forgive and forget.” I don’t think that forgive and forget should be used in the same sentence. But, forgive and release? I can live with that. 

Can you imagine what happens when one person drops their end of the rope? The other person will more than likely be caught off guard, maybe even tumble backward. But the tension will surely be gone. The stress and strain of pulling on your end will cease. You’ll free yourself and the other person from the fight. Can you imagine?

Why Bother?

Why bother with the history of forgive? When we understand the origin of a word, we may get a better picture of what it truly means P.S.  I wrote the story of my journey to forgiveness for those who need clarity when it comes to understanding forgiveness. You can find A Heart’s Journey To Forgiveness at Redemption Press and Amazon.