Forgiveness

Mt. 18:35

So also my heavenly Father will do to everyone of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."      

Peter begins this chapter with a very important question. Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?As many as seven times? Jesus said to him, I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. Then Jesus follows up his statement with a story about an unjust servant who  came to his master with a huge debt, 10.000 talents. Since he could not pay, the master ordered him and his family to be sold. Out of pity, the master forgave him the debt when he begged for mercy. But after the servant left, he went and found another man who owed him money. When this man could not pay, the unjust servant began choking him. The man begged for mercy, but the servant refused and put him in prison. When other of his servants saw what the unjust servant had done, they went to master and reported the incident. The master summoned him telling him he was wicked. How could he not forgive after so much had been forgiven him? In anger, the master delivered him to prison until the debt could be paid.  Such behavior does not reflect the kingdom of God, and will not be tolerated. What is the lesson? Seventy times seven really means always. I forgive because I have been forgiven so much. I forgive regardless of what has been done to me because I am forgiven by God. I forgive because without God's forgiveness, I would be lost eternally. In the kingdom of God, accounts are settled with mercy and pity.

As I read the story of this unjust servant, his actions seem reprehensible. Yet, I wonder if I have done a similar thing, but felt justified because of the nature of the offense. Jesus is definitely teaching that forgiveness has nothing to do with the validity of the offense, it only has to do with the forgiveness I have from God. Certainly divine forgiveness far outweighs any offense I might endure. If I am part of the kingdom of God, and I am, then I must be forgiving in all that I say, do, and feel. Do I instantly forgive? Do I ever hang on to a grudge? Is my love for God more important to me than any petty feelings that I might have?

Father,

Give me your grace that I might forgive as You forgave me. Teach me Your way that I might walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to yours.

In Jesus name,

Amen