C. D. "Bigboy" Blalock was a boxer who, in the 1930’s, was known for his devastating roundhouse swing. In one match he was locked into a ferocious duel with a boxer from Mississippi State. Bigboy saw his opening and moved in for the kill. 

However, just as he let go with his sweeping blow, his opponent stepped in too closely. Bigboy’s arm wrapped all the way around the other man’s head. Instead of hitting his opponent, he ended up hitting himself in the face and knocking himself down for the count. 

In all of the history of the sport, Bigboy Blalock is probably the only boxer that knocked himself out. 

Years ago I knew a man like Bigboy Blalock. He wasn’t a boxer. Instead he ran a shoe store. This man, who I’ll call Mr. Brady, had an attractive wife and lived in a beautiful, secluded home. 

Mr. Brady’s wife attended the church I pastored. Although he only occasionally attended he was always friendly, courteous, and considerate. 

However, Mr. Brady had one big problem: he was bitter and carried a grudge against his brother. Nearly every conversation I ever had with him ended up with a pity party about how his brother had cheated him out of the ownership of the family shoe business. He complained that he had to work long hours while his brother reaped most of the benefits. Now he was approaching retirement and lamented that he would never see the financial prosperity that should have been his. 

Mr. Brady had a lot going for him, but he allowed his bitterness to wipe it all out. In reality, it was not what his brother had done that was destroying his life. Like Bibgoy Blalock, the punch he had aimed at his opponent had come around to knock himself in the face. 

Meanwhile, his brother whom he refused to forgive may not have known or even cared that he was bitter. Instead of enjoying his retirement with his wife in his dream house, Mr. Brady was headed toward spiritual, emotional and physical self-destruction. 

Those who become bitter and refuse to forgive are prisoners of their own circumstances. Forgiveness sets us free to find happiness in the realities of life as it is. Bitterness, on the other hand, causes us to wither in a quest to change things that are beyond our control. 

Ann Landers once wrote, "Forgiveness is setting the prisoner free and then discovering that you were the prisoner." 

The opposite of bitterness is rejoicing. Persons who choose to be happy in spite of unfair circumstances will not become bitter. Rejoicing becomes a protection against bitterness. That is probably what St. Paul meant when he wrote, "My brothers, rejoice in the Lord…. It is a safeguard for you." (Philippians 3:1)