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Lesson 11

Forgive Freely Ephesians 4:32

Story adapted by Phoenix Andrews, Bairnsdale Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Australia. ©2014

Artwork, Become Jehovah’s Friend logo, JW.org logo courtesy ©Watchtower 2014

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“C’mon Caleb,” Sophia called as she ran

through the house. Just then Caleb

slipped and landed on something hard.

He looked down and saw the toy giraffe

and picked it up.

It was Sophia’s. And it was broken.

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“Caleb! You broke my toy!” Sophia cried.

“I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry,” Caleb

apologized. “You always say that!” Sophia

said annoyed. “Well, I am sorry,” repeated

Caleb.

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“Well that won’t fix my toy,” lamented

Sophia. Dad strode into the living room to

see what was wrong.

“Look Dad,” said Sophia, “He broke my toy.

I told him not to touch it.”

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Caleb and Sophia continued to argue.

“Okay, okay children,” Dad interrupted

as he picked up a chalkboard and

a piece of chalk.

Sitting down, he drew a line across the

middle of the board with a tally mark, and

asked, “So, Caleb broke your toy?”

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“That’s not all he did,” Sophia interrupted,

“He ate my ice-cream, went into my room

without asking, and he scribbled

on my songbook.”

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Dad put 3 more tally marks on to the

chalkboard. “Well, I am sorry,” Caleb

apologized for the third time.

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“Sophia, can you think of anything you

have done wrong?” Dad asked passing the

board and chalk to Sophia. She took it.

“Well… I forgot to make my bed,” she

confessed marking the chalkboard, “I lost

my homework. And I didn’t do the dishes.”

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“It’s not easy to remember our mistakes,”

said Dad, “But, are you sorry?” Sophia

nodded. “Do you know what Jehovah does

when we are truly sorry?” Dad asked them

picking up the Bible.

He reads Ephesians 4:32 to them,

“But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ

freely forgave you.”

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Do you know what it means to ‘Freely

Forgive’?

It means to wipe the slate clean.

Dad picked up the chalkboard and a

duster. He cleared Sophia’s tally marks.

He passed them to Sophia, who looked at

Caleb thoughtfully, then she cleared

Caleb’s tally marks.

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Then they both gave each other a

big bear hug.

“I’m sorry Sophia,” Caleb said.

“It’s ok Caleb, I forgive you,” Sophia said.

“Ah, good children. That makes Jehovah

very happy,” Dad commended them.

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Mum called from the kitchen, “Anybody

know where the mess came from?”

“Uh, oh,” Dad said getting up knowing he

was to blame.

Do you think Mum would forgive him for

making the mess?

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