French Fries and Forgiveness

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” —Ephesians 4:32 NIV

You didn’t mean to drop that snarky look. But you did. It was supposed to be a chill lunch, and suddenly—oops—your eyes had more salt than the fries.

Now here you are. Sitting across from someone you love. Sharing silence and soggy fries. Wishing you could rewind about 10 minutes and have a do-over.

Forgiveness can feel like something reserved for the big stuff—like betrayal and broken vows. But maybe it also lives in the small stuff too. Maybe sometimes it's the smallest stuff that God views as sacred.

Like passing the ketchup with a side of humility. Like choosing connection over being right. Like offering grace in the form of napkins and a sheepish smile.

Ephesians 4:32 calls us to forgive as Christ forgave us. Not eventually. Not once we’ve earned it.

Freely. Fully. Even when we’re still holding onto the last bite of our pride.

And Colossians 3:13 (NIV) doubles down:

“Bear with each other… forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Let’s be honest: “bear with each other” doesn’t sound glamorous. It sounds like what you do when someone eats your fries without asking, or leaves the dishes again, or gives you that look across the table.

But it’s holy. It matters.

Forgiveness in the everyday is still very much sacred. Maybe even especially sacred.

So the next time you're sitting across from someone you love, mid-apology or awkward pause, remember this:

You don’t have to fix everything right away. You just have to soften some. To lean in. To let grace get messy—with ketchup and crumbs and kindness.

Prayer:

Jesus, Your grace is bigger than my reaction. Help me forgive fast, love deep, and pass the fries when asked to (with a smile). In Your name, I pray.