Two topics drew me… forgiveness at the close of the chapter and the children issues at the beginning. I opted for forgiveness…
How many times must I forgive someone? This is a true life issue. Jesus’ answer is stunning… as many times as they require. Really, Jesus, can’t I just write them off at some point?
His response is emphatic, “No, you cannot.” You must forgive them 77 times or 70x7 times depending upon how the text is read. The actual number is not the point. If we want to offer a gracious number of times, God says make it a gracious, gracious number of times. The point, just keep forgiving.
Before disregarding this… consider God. “Isn’t that what God offers us? Unlimited forgiveness?” And aren’t we supposed to emulate Jesus, who is God?
Do I sometimes take advantage of God’s graciousness? Yes. But more than that, God’s willingness to forgive me over and over again is both a lifeline and a love-line. God loves me and will never turn His back on me. And His unending love draws and beckons me to Him, imperfect as I am.
Jesus is asking me to offer this same kind of love, wrapped in forgiveness, to others that I receive from Him. And this thought makes the parable all the more compelling. I constantly go to God for forgiveness and I am never rebuffed. How dare I rebuff someone who comes to me and they come to me with much more minor grievances than I lay before God?
Forgiveness is not necessarily easy but it is the right and godly thing to do.
As I put my head in my hands to see who I need to forgive, the first face I see is my own. This surprises me. But it is true I can be so hard on myself. I need to offer myself forgiveness, even as I offer others forgiveness.
Mine was not the only face I saw, just the first…
Lord, trying to live Your teaching, I forgive myself for…
Lord, I forgive NBK for …
And I forgive xxx for…
Lord, help me to truly release these people from any hold I have maintained. As You have forgiven me, may I forgive others… Through Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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