Hey guys, it's been a while. Still, I hope to be updating this frequently, so I hope yall enjoy!
I was just reading Matthew
18:21-35 and suddenly felt cut to the heart; convicted. I knew this story
and am always reminded of VeggieTales when the Grapes of Wrath ask how many
times we need to forgive someone. Of course Biblically the answer is “four
hundred an’ ninety” :)
But if I knew Jesus’ answer then why did I feel so uncomfortable?
Perhaps it is because of the parable Jesus tells right after, the parable of
the Unmerciful Servant:
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24 As
he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since
he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all
that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The
servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
Stop right here. Read it again. “The servant’s master
took pity on him, canceled the debt
and let him go.” Go back to the
beginning. It states, “…the kingdom of
heaven is like a king who wanted
to settle accounts with his servants.” Wanted; desired. God is the King (Psalm 47) of all and he longs for that
relationship to be fixed now so that we can live a life with him! Don’t wait
until you personally think you are worthy of a life with him (because that is
never going to happen) (Isaiah 6:1-7).
Live your life now with God in control. This is through casting down your
problems on him (Matthew 11:28-30)
so that he is able to forgive you with everything you have done the moment it
happens—don’t wait, allow every opportunity for God to come into your life.
Let us continue on:
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow
servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’
he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient
with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into
prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When
the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told
their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he
said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t
you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In
anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should
pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you
forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
I thought that Jesus was a bit harsh, explaining the first servant
in such an impatient and violent manner. But isn’t that what Jesus likes to do?
Make us feel uncomfortable? He tends to tell us the truth, as bitter and as
real as it should be. Yes, as I read this and felt the creeping feeling of
irritation, I came to realize that I was guilty of this very thing. Perhaps I
did not demand from my friends such an amount of money, but, just as ruthlessly
as the servant, I did not forgive. I
immediately thought back to the time when some of my friends would constantly
fall from the “straight and narrow path” (Matthew7:13-14) and would ask for me to give them a ride, buy necessities, or even
take them to church after they had been absent for several months. Sure, I helped
them out, but many of the times it was with a hesitation, not joyfully willing
to give them aid like a follower of the Way should.
Also, another
question I might ask is, “Do I expect these people to repay me in some sort of
way?” The answer should be “No.” No because these people need the help, and if
God is able to rescue me from my troubles without asking for anything in
return; to forgive me of my ferocious sins for free, then I should be able to
do the same. If I truly love God and notice the way he loves me, that love will
in turn be shown towards others, especially those who are hurting and ache for
the true love.
Love
is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not
proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
1
Corinthians 13:4-8
How can we be forgiven by God if we are not able to forgive
others? And I am sure God has forgiven me more than 490 times.
