Have you even seen a seersucker suit? Back in 2006 when it was all the rage, I will never forget how cool I felt stepping out of my parents’ car wearing my new seersucker suit on Easter Sunday. I also will never forget that moment when I spilled red Kool-Aid all over that same suit within minutes of arriving at church. I made a mistake and felt like my life was finished. Rather than chastising me, though, my mother used this moment as an opportunity to forgive me and remind me that Easter was really about forgiveness, the same lesson Peter learns in John 21:15-17 when Jesus forgives him for rejecting his faith.
This passage is well-placed for the season following Easter. It is a solid reminder of the fact that forgiveness is something we receive from Christ every day. Coming out of Easter, I often find myself reinvigorated spiritually and ready to walk by faith in all circumstances. This quickly changes, though, when I encounter a spiritual roadblock or difficult circumstances. I forget that I am forgiven and have received a new life through Christ in my profession that He is my Savior. In these moments, I love turning back to the story of Peter’s redemption to see how Christ steps into our difficulties to bring redemption. Jesus sees the stains of our transgressions and not only washes them clean but also gives us a pathway out of darkness into light.
Forgiveness is more than just the washing away of our sins. Instead of letting transgressions define us, we walk in forgiveness when we make the choice to feed God’s flock and care for one another. Easter reminds us that we can look back—as I do on that stained seersucker suit—and then move forward into new life, no matter the season or circumstances.