To understand everything is to forgive. —Lisa See, The Island of Sea Women

This was spoken by an elderly woman. She had suffered the betrayal of a friend, which led to a break in their relationship at a young age. Now, late in life, she has learned more about what was happening on the other side — the abuse, the pressures, the heartbreak her friend was carrying. To understand all of that makes forgiveness feel almost inevitable.

This idea rings so true to me. And it leads me to think about my God.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. — Psalm 103:13-14

God’s understanding of us is taken even further with the coming of Christ — Emmanuel. God not only with us, but walking in our very humanity.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity… …he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God… — Hebrews 2:14-18

So God understands what it’s like to wear our skin. He knows our beginning — our formation from dust. But He also knows the full history that comes before our birth. He knows how and why we came to be exactly where we are, at this particular point in time.

From one man he made all the nations, … and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. — Acts 17:26

And He doesn’t just see our actions. He sees our minds — all the way down to our most subconscious motivations.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me… you perceive my thoughts from afar. — Psalm 139:1-2

He knows the sins of our parents and grandparents, and how those shape us. He understands the sins of society and the weight they place on our lives. He sees our inherited weaknesses. He can perceive, far more clearly than we can, the forces of darkness at war for our very souls.

So with all of this understanding, He forgives me.

I sit with that for a moment.

This knowledge is too wonderful for me.

His compassion — I cannot fathom it. But I believe in it.

This is the movement I see in the Gospel: curiosity giving way to compassion, and compassion opening the door to forgiveness — all of it held together by love.

I receive this from Christ first. I practice it within my own self-reflection next. And only then does it move outward.

So I ask myself:

How can I seek to understand those around me? By staying curious. By moving towards compassion. By letting it be motivated by the love I’ve already received.