I watched an obscure 2017 movie called, Aftermath, with Arnold Schwarzenegger. It didn’t do well in theaters, and I don’t necessarily recommend it. However, the moral of the story needs to be shared. The basis of the movie is a plane crash and how it impacts both the air traffic controller who made a huge mistake and one of the families who lost loved ones.
It’s a dark, bleak movie that is frankly quite depressing. No one handles it well, and they all spire into despair. Unlike all the other victims of the tragedy, Schwarzenegger doesn’t want money for the death of his wife and only child. No, he wants an apology. This is the crux of the story: no one will give it to him.
The air traffic controller is fired and told not own up to his horrific mistake that cost the lives of over 200 people. The airlines company won’t concede to anything and just wants to pay everyone to go away. They offer only $100,000 per victim, but in his case since they were related (mother and daughter), only one pay out.
Schwarzenegger’s character just wants someone…anyone…to tell him how very sorry they are for his loss. This puts him on a destructive path of revenge. He stops feeding the good side of his human nature and feeds only the bad side. In come cultures, this is called the Good Wolf or Bad Wolf. In Christianity, we call it the Flesh or the Spirit.
I will spare you the drawn-out display of hate and anger that transpires, but I was taken back by how powerful those simple words can be to a hurting soul: I am sorry. Some redemption does exist at the end of the movie.
Mistakes will always have consequences. God forgives us, but we will always have to face the music. We can’t avoid the ramifications of our actions, and we must take responsibility for the wrong we do to others. We must ask forgiveness, and that begins with a sincere, heart-felt apology.
I believe God will not only hold us accountable for our acts of hatred toward others but also for our lack of action taken. Silence and doing nothing are a decision we make (and are no longer good enough), and they will be judged. For evil to prevail, we all just need to keep doing nothing.
I’m grateful Jesus died on the cross for all my shortcomings. All my judgements have been paid in full, but I am still expected to confess and make right what I can–to repair broken relationships and build bridges. You may feel like an apology isn’t big enough but start there and put your words into action. Don’t underestimate the healing powers of those words, especially when the Holy Spirit guides and leads us to say them.
How someone responds to our apology is up to them, but we must do our part and say we are sorry. Even when you feel you haven’t done anything wrong but another person was hurt, saying you are sorry simply means you care more about them than being in the right.
If you are married, you have been hurt by the one you love. We are all human, and we mess up. Get some great tips for improving the quality of your relationship with my booklet, Staying Married with Style!
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