The Wicked Servant

Mt. 18:35

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from the heart.

 

What a graphic picture and how very true! A king wished to settle his accounts when a servant who owed 10,000 talents [in our day $6 million] came before him. Since he was unable to pay, the master was ready to sell him, but the servant fell on his knees and implored the master saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. Out of pity the master released him and forgave the debt. He didn't just give the servant more time, but he wiped away the debt, a debt of epic proportions. Wow!

 

But this same servant who had been forgiven much, found a fellow servant who owed him100 denarii ($12,000). He did not forgive the debt as had been done to him, but instead he seized the man and began to choke him saying, Pay what you Owe. When this fellow servant, fell down and pleaded with him saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay you. He received no forgiveness but was thrown into prison until the debt was paid.

 

Other servants witnessed both transactions, and they went to the king and relayed the information. The wicked servant was summoned to the Master when he said, You wicked servant! I forgave you all the debt because you pleaded with me. And should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you. And the master delivered him to the jailers until he should pay his debt.

 

Now for the application. Simply stated: So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from the heart. I am the wicked servant. My debt of sin was so great that I could not pay it. Yet before the Father I received forgiveness of the entire debt the greatest cost. The Master sent His son to take my debt of sin and by shedding His blood He covered my debt. I have been forgiven my sins of infinite proportions! My relief and joy must flow into forgiveness for others. How small am I to withhold forgiveness of others who have already been forgiven by God. So my heart must be one of forgiveness constantly no matter how large or devastating the hurt. Nothing that happens to me in this life is of the proportions of my debt before God.

 

Father,

Give me a heart of forgiveness. Bring to my mind Your great act of love in sending Your Son. Help me to dwell in Your presence constantly.

In Jesus name,

Amen