Time To Forgive

Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus responded, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” [1]

Have you ever had to forgive someone seventy times seven times? How many times has God forgiven you?

Jesus emphasized the importance of forgiving those who sin against us by telling a story of a man, his wife, and his children. They were about to be sold into slavery because the husband had not repaid his debt to the king.

The man said to his king, “Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.” [2] The man owed the king ten thousand talents. Ten thousand talents is two hundred thousand years of labor! It is sixty million working days. In modern money, it is $3.48 billion. It is 375 tons of gold. [3]

This man could never repay his debt. Surprisingly, the king had compassion on him, released him and forgave him. [4]

Here, the king represents God. Our Heavenly Father sent His Beloved and innocent Son into the world to be a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ paid off a debt we could never repay in a lifetime. He cancelled it completely. What’s more, God adopted us into His family. Such immeasurable grace!

However, the forgiven servant took God’s grace lightly. He had a fellow servant imprisoned for owing him a debt of one hundred denarii. One hundred denarii is about four month’s wages. In US dollars it is worth about $5,800. $5,800 is a significant sum of money. It should have been repaid, but compared to the great debt the creditor was forgiven by his king, it was small. The forgiven servant did not forgive his fellow servant. Though he begged for patience, he had him thrown in prison. [5]

Have we ever locked anyone up for a debt they owe us? Stopped communicating with them? Given them distance rather than closeness? If so, how has our action hurt them? How has our action hurt us?

The man’s action grieved his fellow servants. They reported his misbehavior back to the king. The king confronted him saying, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” [6] The king handed the man over to torturers.

Our forgiveness of others is important to God. He said, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” [7]

“Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for forgiving our sins. Please forgive us for locking up fellow servants for debts they owe us. Please move our hearts with compassion to forgive them as freely as You forgave us. This we pray in the Name of Jesus Your Son. Amen.”

[1] Matthew 18:21-22
[2] Matthew 18:26
[3] rheaheraldnews
[4] Matthew 18:27
[5] Matthew 18:28-30
[6] Matthew 18:32-33
[7] Matthew 18:35