I have never been to any of my high school class reunions. I moved away right after graduation and never lived in that area again. Relationships weren’t maintained, new interests formed, distance developed. Honestly, it feels like a huge hurdle.

I remember my high school years through a certain lens, as do we all. Since I haven’t been around, I don’t have current information to inform my remembering. I wish I did. The only way to change it is to attend a reunion, willing to reframe everything I knew about my classmates. Time has a way of changing all of us.

This is true of all relationships. I don’t want to be stuck in someone’s mind in a place of immaturity. I want them to see me as I am now.

David says it well in Psalm 25. He knows his youth was troubled with rebellion and he doesn’t want to be remembered that way. He wants to be seen through the lens of God’s unfailing love.

⁷Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.

Psalm 25:7

Perhaps there is someone in your life that you are seeing through an old lens. Maybe it’s time to let it go and look through the lens of love, mercy and forgiveness. After all, how do you want to be remembered?