28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.
35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
-Matthew 18:28-35
We all have been done wrong in our lives. Sometimes it’s by many people, or maybe it’s the same person that keeps on doing us wrong over and over again.
According to Jesus, I stand in agreement, we have to forgive each time someone does something to us. How many times? Seven times seventy. “Just as we can show gratitude toward someone who does something good in our favor over and over again, we should be able to forgive someone from our heart that has hurt us.
Jesus uses a parable to illustrate what Kingdom forgiveness looks like:
In the Old Testament, the rule was an eye for an eye (Matthew 5:38). But in the kingdom of heaven the rule is; “forgive and you will be forgiven.” (Exodus 21:23-24; Leviticus 24:20)
There was a servant who owed a king ten thousand talents (equal to about several million dollars today). The servant couldn’t repay the debt so the king forgave him of the entire debt. Now that same servant left and saw someone who owed him one hundred denarii (a few dollars). When that servant couldn’t pay him he refused to extend the same mercy he received from the king for a much bigger debt.
The king heard about what this servant did and ordered him to be imprisoned until he paid his debt of ten thousand talents.
Some believers have been forgiven much more than what was committed against them, but they still have an unforgiving spirit. God isn’t pleased with this.
We all know the debt we owe because of the sins we committed. This debt was huge and there was no way to work and pay our debt off. We were in a lost and helpless situation!
But Jesus came and paid that debt for us! It wasn’t a debt consolidation loan He gave us. It wasn’t a Chapter 13! Jesus paid our debt with His shed blood on that rugged cross!
We must know that He requires that same compassion He gave us to be paid forward to someone who has done us wrong and/or doing us wrong.
How many times must we forgive someone? Seven times seventy.
Father help us to know the value of forgiving others from our heart when they do us wrong. Help us to come in line with this word that tells us we must forgive others as you have forgiven us. In the name of Jesus – Amen.