--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To grant forgiveness to someone who has…" description: "\"To grant forgiveness to someone who has truly changed is not a way of condoning or forgetting his or her past crimes, but of acknowledging whom he or s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/matthieu-ricard-4004_changed_to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has_1585845.jpg" --- # To grant forgiveness to someone who has truly changed is… ![“To grant forgiveness to someone who has truly changed is not a way of condoning or forgetting his or her past crimes, but of acknowledging whom he or she has become.” quote by Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/matthieu-ricard-4004_changed_to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has_1585845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/matthieu-ricard-4004_changed_to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has_1585845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/matthieu-ricard-4004_changed_to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has_1585845.jpg) > “To grant forgiveness to someone who has truly changed is not a way of condoning or forgetting his or her past crimes, but of acknowledging whom he or she has become.” [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness acknowledges a person’s transformation without erasing past wrongdoing, focusing on present identity. **In simple terms:** Forgive by recognizing change, not forgetting. Key Takeaway Forgive, but remember lessons. Themes forgiveness growth ethics Mood compassionate thoughtful Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - personal relationships - justice reform - conflict resolution Key Concepts redemption moral development Questions to Reflect On - How to balance justice and mercy? - When is forgiveness appropriate? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be seen as condoning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) ## Related quotes > [It's not our ability to get forgiveness that saves us. It's out ability to grant forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeri-smith-ready/it-s-not-our-ability-to-get-forgiveness-that-saves-us-it-s-out/) [Jeri Smith-Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeri-smith-ready/) > [Jesus Himself stresses that only those who grant forgiveness will receive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/jesus-himself-stresses-that-only-those-who-grant-forgiveness-will/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [It is far pleasanter to injure and afterwards beg forgiveness than to be injured and grant forgiveness. He who does the former gives evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-far-pleasanter-to-injure-and-afterwards-beg-forgiveness-than-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [NXT and CWC have truly changed my career, my life and my family's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommaso-ciampa/nxt-and-cwc-have-truly-changed-my-career-my-life-and-my-family-s-life/) [Tommaso Ciampa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommaso-ciampa/) > [The truly changed, truly converted, truly Christian heart can say with John Newton, “I am not what I ought to be. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/the-truly-changed-truly-converted-truly-christian-heart-can-say-with/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“Many things are impossible for men to do alone, but everything is possible with God. Regardless of how big your errors might have been,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu-ph-d/many-things-are-impossible-for-men-to-do-alone-but-everything-is/) [Dragos Bratasanu, Ph.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu-ph-d/) > [“Forgiveness is truly the grace by which we enable another person to get up, and get up with dignity, to begin anew. To not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/forgiveness-is-truly-the-grace-by-which-we-enable-another-person-to/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Resident Evil 4' truly changed the way I look at making games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-barlog/resident-evil-4-truly-changed-the-way-i-look-at-making-games/) [Cory Barlog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-barlog/) > [“We can only truly love, when we realized we have been loved all along, by the one person who gave their life for simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-megan-varnadore/we-can-only-truly-love-when-we-realized-we-have-been-loved-all-along/) [Jennifer Megan Varnadore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-megan-varnadore/) > [“I am not my past.” It would still be a long time before I truly changed, but this moment was the beginning of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-scrone/i-am-not-my-past-it-would-still-be-a-long-time-before-i-truly-changed/) Brian Scrone > [But when I came back into the city for the first time last November, I thought every truck, every building was going to blow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanford-wilson/but-when-i-came-back-into-the-city-for-the-first-time-last-november-i/) [Lanford Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanford-wilson/) > [There's forgiveness if you ask forgiveness, you truly repent, and you do make an honest effort not to do that anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-travis/there-s-forgiveness-if-you-ask-forgiveness-you-truly-repent-and-you/) [Randy Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-travis/) > [“why. I have found it difficult at times to forgive myself for what happened.  But a significant part of the answer involves forgiveness, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-graham/why-i-have-found-it-difficult-at-times-to-forgive-myself-for-what/) [Joshua Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-graham/) > [Washington culture has always had a difficult time acknowledging untruth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/washington-culture-has-always-had-a-difficult-time-acknowledging/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [“My mum always taught me the value of knowing, recognizing and acknowledging when you had a good day. There are so many bad days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/my-mum-always-taught-me-the-value-of-knowing-recognizing-and/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) ## More by Matthieu Ricard > [Whatever you train, you change your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/whatever-you-train-you-change-your-brain/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“I think what everyone should be doing, before it's too late, is committing themselves to what they really want to do with their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/i-think-what-everyone-should-be-doing-before-it-s-too-late-is/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Happiness is a state of inner fulfillment, not the gratification of inexhaustible desires for outward things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/happiness-is-a-state-of-inner-fulfillment-not-the-gratification-of/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [At each point in our lives, we are at a crossroads. We are the fruit of our past and we are the architects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/at-each-point-in-our-lives-we-are-at-a-crossroads-we-are-the-fruit-of/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [I don't often get into a bad mood, since it does not help anything and clouds my judgment, but I can certainly see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/i-don-t-often-get-into-a-bad-mood-since-it-does-not-help-anything-and/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Happiness can’t be reduced to a few agreeable sensations. Rather, it is a way of being and of experiencing the world—a profound fulfillment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/happiness-can-t-be-reduced-to-a-few-agreeable-sensations-rather-it-is/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Peace is not weak. Standing up to a tank is harder than dropping a suicide bomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/peace-is-not-weak-standing-up-to-a-tank-is-harder-than-dropping-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Good and evil exist only in terms of the happiness or suffering they create in ourselves and others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/good-and-evil-exist-only-in-terms-of-the-happiness-or-suffering-they/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Authentic happiness is not linked to an activity, it is a state of being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/authentic-happiness-is-not-linked-to-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [ When you see those in healthcare who don't get this burn-out, they are very motherly, fatherly, or loving and attentive with the patients. \[These\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/when-you-see-those-in-healthcare-who-don-t-get-this-burn-out-they-are/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Although the optimist may be a little giddy when foreseeing the future, telling himself that it will all work out in the end when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/although-the-optimist-may-be-a-little-giddy-when-foreseeing-the/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“There is a possibility for change because all emotions are fleeting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/there-is-a-possibility-for-change-because-all-emotions-are-fleeting/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [When faced with adverse circumstances, if you can do something, do it and there is not need to worry. If you can't do anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/when-faced-with-adverse-circumstances-if-you-can-do-something-do-it/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“The only ‘failure’ of quantum theory is its inability to provide a natural framework for our prejudices.”1”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/the-only-failure-of-quantum-theory-is-its-inability-to-provide-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [The mind is malleable. Our life can be greatly transformed by even a minimal change in how we manage our thoughts and perceive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/the-mind-is-malleable-our-life-can-be-greatly-transformed-by-even-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) [Explore all 108 Matthieu Ricard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) ## More Acknowledging quotes > [“My mum always taught me the value of knowing, recognizing and acknowledging when you had a good day. There are so many bad days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/my-mum-always-taught-me-the-value-of-knowing-recognizing-and/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [Washington culture has always had a difficult time acknowledging untruth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/washington-culture-has-always-had-a-difficult-time-acknowledging/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [God knows we are subtle creatures who are more than able to use candour to avoid acknowledging our deceptions of others and ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-hauerwas/god-knows-we-are-subtle-creatures-who-are-more-than-able-to-use/) [Stanley Hauerwas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-hauerwas/) > [How dare you ever in ya life walk past me without acknowledging their man as God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/how-dare-you-ever-in-ya-life-walk-past-me-without-acknowledging-their/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [Acknowledging the Lord's hand in our lives cultivates gratitude. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/acknowledging-the-lord-s-hand-in-our-lives-cultivates-gratitude/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [You know, I get frustrated with our country's administration, which is really the people who are not acknowledging global warming. I mean, it's accepted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-greenfield/you-know-i-get-frustrated-with-our-country-s-administration-which-is/) [Jerry Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-greenfield/) > [Real empathy is sometimes not insisting that it will be okay but acknowledging that it is not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/real-empathy-is-sometimes-not-insisting-that-it-will-be-okay-but/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“You can’t fear the devil without also acknowledging God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-adams/you-can-t-fear-the-devil-without-also-acknowledging-god/) [Taylor Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-adams/) > [We do an epically bad job of acknowledging one another's work and checking our sources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/we-do-an-epically-bad-job-of-acknowledging-one-another-s-work-and/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [We are acknowledging the close personal nature of our 10 years at war and the strong bonds of fidelity that Marines have for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-amos/we-are-acknowledging-the-close-personal-nature-of-our-10-years-at-war/) [James F. Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-amos/) > [“By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude, you will be able to truly put the things you own, and your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-kondo/by-acknowledging-their-contribution-and-letting-them-go-with/) [Marie Kondō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-kondo/) > [“Telling the story, acknowledging what has happened and how you feel, is often a necessary part of forgiveness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/telling-the-story-acknowledging-what-has-happened-and-how-you-feel-is/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [You had two men who knew the exact same thing, which is Russia did meddle in the elections. I think President Trump wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-haley/you-had-two-men-who-knew-the-exact-same-thing-which-is-russia-did/) [Nikki Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-haley/) > [I would hope it's better, but I'm actually acknowledging now that I want to explore all these levels from a whisper to a scream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coverdale/i-would-hope-it-s-better-but-i-m-actually-acknowledging-now-that-i/) [David Coverdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coverdale/) > [Voter fraud happens on both sides of the aisle. And if nothing else, I'm glad Democrats are acknowledging that it exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kobach/voter-fraud-happens-on-both-sides-of-the-aisle-and-if-nothing-else-i/) [Kris Kobach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kobach/) Browse all 117 Acknowledging quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To grant forgiveness to someone who has truly changed is not a way of condoning or forgetting his or her past crimes, but of acknowledging whom he or she has become.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthieu Ricard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has-truly-changed-is-not-a-way-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acknowledging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has-truly-changed-is-not-a-way-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/matthieu-ricard-4004_changed_to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has_1585845.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/matthieu-ricard-4004_changed_to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has_1585845.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/matthieu-ricard-4004_changed_to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has_1585845.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To grant forgiveness to someone who has truly changed is not a way of condoning or forgetting his or her…” — Matthieu Ricard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Matthieu Ricard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To grant forgiveness to someone who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has-truly-changed-is-not-a-way-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/to-grant-forgiveness-to-someone-who-has-truly-changed-is-not-a-way-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```