Kathie Lee Gifford Emphasizes Importance of Forgiving Our Enemies
By Movieguide® Contributor
While the Bible tells us to forgive our enemies, it can be a challenge when we have a wounded heart. However, the best way to heal from pain is forgiveness and allowing Christ to come in and help us.
Kathie Lee Gifford knows this first hand, and shared the importance of forgiveness in a recent podcast with Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean.
Dean confessed she’d been struggling with forgiving former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for allegedly trying to defame her after criticizing the former governor for mishandling of nursing home Covid-19 patients.
“If Jesus can forgive on the cross, you can forgive right now. All you have to do is say, ‘Thank you, Jesus…You have forgiven me for everything I have ever done. ‘Lord, I choose to forgive him.’,” Gifford told Dean on The Janice Dean Podcast
This statement was in response to a question that Dean asked when the two women were talking about forgiving people in their past.
“How do I forgive Andrew Cuomo? Because I can’t right now,” Dean asked.
Dean criticized former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for a policy that placed convalescent Covid-19 patients back in nursing homes during the pandemic. Both of Dean’s in-laws died of the Coronavirus in separate New York nursing homes.
It was reported that in retaliation for her criticism, Cuomo reached out to his brother TV journalist Chris Cuomo in order to plan a way to discredit Dean before later resigning as governor amidst several sexual harassment allegations.
Gifford spoke on how harmful unforgiveness is saying, “The price you pay is awful, so much disease is based in loss, a lack of forgiveness and… if you can’t forgive, we can’t expect God to forgive us. Jesus said you’ve got to forgive or you can’t be forgiven,” she said. “You have to do it, darlin’, and you’ll just be so grateful.”
She also urged the Fox TV host to not only to forgive the former governor, but to pray for his spiritual state.
“Pray that he comes to know Yeshua,” Gifford said. “Pray that he becomes a good practicing Catholic like you are, goes back to his church, and you know, believes in something bigger than himself, believes in real justice, real righteousness “
Gifford set an example of forgiveness in her own life when she decided to show forgiveness to shock jock Howard Stern after years of berating her because of her Christian faith as Movieguide® reported:
The former TODAY anchor said that in 2012, she came face-to-face with Stern, despite their respective staff trying to keep them from interacting.
“I went, ‘Oh, there’s Howard,’” she said while on the “The Prodigal Stories Podcast.” “I didn’t think anything of it. And the Lord spoke very, very clearly to me. He said, ‘Kathie, I want you to go downstairs and say hello to him.’ I’d never met him, I’d never watched his show. I’d only heard and read about all the evil over the years. And I said, ‘OK, Lord. I will.’”
“I went downstairs in little flats [shoes] — he’s 6’6″ [and] I’m 5’6″ — and I find him,” Gifford continued. “I can barely get through the crowd. And I’m going, ‘Howard? Howard?’ And finally he looks at me. I said, ‘Hi, I’m Kathie Lee. I think it’s about time that we said hello. I just want to wish you all the best on the new show, and that’s it. Just take care. Have a good day.’”
Although Gifford’s hello to Stern was one sided, much like Stern’s attacks on Gifford, she “didn’t think anything of” their brief interaction.
However, after she arrived home she said that she received a voicemail from Stern, who had called her to ask for her forgiveness after the kindness she had shown that day.
According to Gifford, Stern called again the same day and they had a 20 minute conversation.
She recalled: “Howard, I’m so happy for you. Any time you start asking people to forgive you is the beginning of happiness in your life. You’re not a happy man; you never have been and so much of the hurtful things you say comes from — I know your background; you’ve been so hurt. I always understood that. Of course I forgive you.”
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
