Matthew 18:32-35–Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  33  And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’  34  And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.  35  So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” 

There are many things that people go through at the hands of others, that is so extremely saddening that the idea of forgiving them is unimaginable!  But that is what makes Christianity and the cross of Christ so relevant to our lives, when faith is what we live by…

Jesus in this parable explains how a master had just forgiven his servant of all of his debts, otherwise he would lose his wife, children, and all that he had.  So of course this servant is grateful, but only far enough to care about his own well being.  Because in the next verse of this chapter (vs.28), he “chokes out” another servant who owed him next to nothing in comparison to what he owed his master!

This shows how it is very possible to be so focused on being a victim, that we forget we too are abusers of God and His goodness!  So with such a heart, we go around never really giving people what we want and need from God, but looking to get what we think people owe us!  So as a professing Christian, we never end up giving love and forgiveness, because we’re too busy not forgiving!  Even though our Master has already given us the power of forgiveness to be victorious in Christ!

Real faith sees God as the Source of all things we need, so we don’t “hold out” on our love and forgiveness based on what has happened to us.  Though it may seem impossible, that is the point, we really need God for such forgiveness!  We really need to recall what has happened to us first, before we have the heart to pour out forgiveness and mercy to anyone else!

In His Love, Ld