Colossians 3:13

“Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

Every member of every family struggles with sin. As a result, sometimes we just have to put up with one another, which is what the Apostle Paul means when he says that we should “make allowance for each other’s faults.” It reminds me of those “Wide Load” signs you see on the back of large trailers. They take up some extra room on the highway and you need to adjust to that, like it or not.

Secondly, we need to be quick to forgive anyone who offends or hurts us. This is an attribute that has shown up repeatedly in this study and for good reason: it is the very reason we are Christians in the first place! God has forgiven us of every sin we have ever or will ever commit and our willingness to forgive others should be a natural result of that amazing fact.

Finally, even if you have a bad attitude about forgiving others, the Lord commands you to do it. Forgiving isn’t just a nice thing to do…it’s a commandment that God expects every one of His children to obey.

APPLICATION: Every member of your family needs to get something big to hold in front of them like a box or a big pillow or cushion. Next, line up at opposite ends of a hallway and then try to move from one end to the other. This will teach you what it takes to “make allowances” for each other! Close in prayer, asking the Lord to help you do the same thing in your relationships.