Wow! So I have read a passage that I have read many times before and this time it humbled me. Read Matthew 18:21-35.
Jesus tells the parable about the king that forgave a debt to a man. That same man went out and did not forgive one of his servants and was very harsh to him. The guy even begged him just as the man begged the king, but he still refused and had him arrested and put into prison.
People were upset and told the king, because they had been aware that that same man had been forgiven. And then this verse came; "You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me...shouldn't you have mercy too? Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt."
That is a crazy story, but that is not even the part that scares me. Here it is. Verse 35, Jesus speaking; "That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart".
Wow! Jesus was not playing. Something about unforgiveness really makes God angry. I think it is because, as we analyze the story, the man that was forgiven by the king owed millions; a lot. He was big time in debt. He pleaded and was forgiven. But he left and probably did a blame shift in his head and said, "I have not paid the king because I have not received my money. Now I will go and get it!" So he went and showed no mercy. This other guy only owed him a fraction of what he owed the king. Selfish.
In the same way, we have been forgiven a huge amount, what is it to forgive a gossip or a lie against us? Today we have to forgive.
1 comment:
If you read this, I really encourage you to search your heart and forgive anyone you need to, even if it was from years ago. Something strikes a chord in the heart of God when the word forgiveness comes about.
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