“But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.””
—Luke 23:34

This is a familiar passage for many people—Yeshua was on the cross, dying for the sins of the world. And as He was making a way for us to spend eternity with the Father, people were on the ground mocking and laughing at Him. Then just as Jesus was about to take His last breath He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t realize what they’re doing.”

That verse helps me to remember that when people do destructive, evil things that hurt me, oftentimes they don’t even understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. The people committing evil against us are not rooted in the truth. They’re not whole. Usually they are hurt people who are hurting others. They are broken people who, as a result of their brokenness, now victimize others.

Sometimes we need to get beneath the offensive behavior and try to gain insight into why people behave the way they do. We may wonder why someone said that offensive thing. A lot of times it’s because they’re afraid and insecure. But we don’t perceive their insecurity, their fear, their inferiority. All we hear are the insults.

Beloved, let’s pray that Father God will help us to see beneath the offense and understand who these people that hurt us really are. When we know who they really are and why they’re doing what they’re doing—that it’s a result of their own hurt and brokenness—we’ll be like Yeshua, who looked on at those that mocked, insulted, and crucified Him and said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

Father God, I ask You right now for a spirit of discernment, of wisdom and revelation to be able to see through the surface and penetrate the realms of darkness to see people for who they are so I can forgive and love them. Father, I ask You for compassion for humanity. In Yeshua’s name.

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Rivers of Divine Truth (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2021), Used by permission.