Adventures in Odyssey Home Page

Forgive Us as We Forgive

Album: 17: On Earth As It Is In Heaven

Episode: 235

Lesson/Theme: Forgiveness

Bible Verse: Luke 6:37-38

Characters: Whit, Rodney, Tom

Writer: Phil Lollar

Sound Designer: Dave Arnold

Original Air Date: June 19, 1993

Last Air Date: November 11, 2008

Description:
Ernie Myers is finally getting out of prison. Julie, Brooke, and Eric are excited about Ernie's release and return home, as are Whit and Tom. Ernie wants to get on with his life and hopes his family will accept him back. Whit offers him a job at Whit's End. This sits well with everyone, except Eric. Eric thinks such a job is beneath his dad, but his mom explains that the whole family will need time to adjust to having Ernie back home from prison. Eric is much happier when he learns that Tom has pulled a few strings and gotten Ernie a new job, until he finds that Ernie's new job is working as the janitor of Eric's school. Now Eric doesn't want to have anything to do with his father. But Whit counsels Eric. Whit guesses correctly that the real problem is that Eric hasn't truly forgiven his father for going to jail in the first place. Eric realizes the error of his ways and apologizes to his father. The two of them begin to build a new foundation of love, trust, and forgiveness.

Questions:
Why didn't Eric want his father to work at Whit's End? Why was Eric embarrassed that his father became the school janitor? Why did Eric find it so difficult to forgive his dad? Have you ever found it hard to forgive someone? How did you handle the situation?