“Forgiveness is a gift. So is the refusal to let someone within striking distance twice.”
Forgiveness frees you. It untangles your spirit from the snare of resentment and releases you from the endless replay of trauma or suffering. Forgiveness is not permission. It is not an open gate that invites the same blow again. Forgiveness does not require you to hand back the weapon.
The Gift vs. The Boundary
True forgiveness is internal. It’s the softening that lets you breathe again, sleep again, smile again. Boundaries are the locks and walls that keep your healing intact. To forgive without boundary is to confuse virtue with vulnerability. The second gift—the refusal to let someone close enough to wound you again—is not bitterness. It is wisdom, sharpened by pain.
The Lesson in Protection
This proverb reminds us: compassion does not mean carelessness. Extending grace does not mean extending access. Some people repent, change, and earn trust back. Others do not. To confuse the two is to offer your throat a second time. The world will call this “hard-hearted.” In truth, it is survival. And survival is sacred.
Practical Guidance
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Forgive to Heal: Release yourself from the poison of hatred. This gift is yours first.
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Hold the Line: Decide who has earned re-entry into your life, and who has not. Forgiveness may be endless, however, access is conditional.
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Discern with Clarity: If their hand is still clenched, do not place yours in it.
Today’s Practice
Offer forgiveness freely, and guard your circle carefully. Your peace is not a training ground for another’s cruelty. Forgiveness is the opening of your heart. Protection is the lock on your door. Both are gifts, and both are righteous.
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