"I Don't Ask For Forgiveness"

I'm sure by now the world is well familiar with the name "Madoff", a person who has been arguably the biggest swindler in world financial history. I read with a heartfelt compassion the story but as well as with much firmness and resolution that justice must be done. The article caused me to self-reflect. Below is an excerpt.

"The tough sentence came even after Madoff, the former chairman of the Nasdaq, made a courtroom apology to his victims. "I am sorry," he told them simply. "I don't ask for forgiveness."

"I leave a legacy of shame to my family. I am responsible for a great deal of suffering and pain. I live in a tormented state," said the disgraced 71-year-old financier who now faces spending the rest of his life in prison.

"I cannot offer an excuse for my behavior," he added. "How do you excuse deceiving investors... and 200 employees?

"How do you excuse lying to my sons and two brothers? How do you excuse lying to a wife who stood by you for 50 years and still stands by me? There is no excuse for that.""

~ Adapted from AFP, 30 June 2009, "'Evil' swindler Madoff jailed for 150 years",

Yahoo News.

There are 2 statements that Madoff made that captured my attention. "I am sorry" and "I don't ask for forgiveness". I wonder what could be going on in his mind when he said these 2 statements one after the other. These are 2 conflicting statements. How can one be sorry and not ask for forgiveness? I thought to myself. There can be 2 meanings that I could imply when placing these 2 statements together.

1. "I am sorry" - I know that I'm wrong, "I don't ask for forgiveness" - I'm not going to do anything about that

2. "I am sorry" - I know that I'm wrong, "I don't ask for forgiveness" - I am beyond forgiveness/I cannot be forgiven.

It sounds like, what could be on his mind was the second. Either way, these 2 statements and 2 possible implications caused me to realize how prideful I can be. These 2 implications are strong indicators that pride resides well deep within.

I'm reminded by the question, "Is God's hand too short?", "Can I ever be beyond forgiveness?".

"as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

~ Psalm 103:12 (NIV)

In man's eyes, there can be sin that is beyond forgiveness. However, that's not for God. There is no sin that is beyond God's forgiveness.