“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Peter had listened to Jesus and heard a thorough “procedure list” for dealing with sinners -- and what to do when they fail to change.
But what about when they do change?
Peter wondered, would he have to keep forgiving them, or could he limit the times he forgave them to maybe -- seven times?
We are often sinned against by some who later ask us to forgive them. Then -- they go and do the same thing to us again! Each time they come back -- begging our understanding and forgiveness.
Sometimes it’s genuine -- and other times we just feel they are playing us for a patsy. It is hard to tell.
How much patience do we have to extend to those who keep doing it to us, over -- and over -- and over?
Jesus gave Peter, and those around him, a parable to chew on.
He told of a King’s servant who had built up a debt that was more than he could ever pay back. The king demanded repayment -- and wanted to set up conditions for repayment. In his case -- the man -- his wife -- his children -- and all he had -- would be sold to repay the debt.
The man, filled with fear and dread, begged the king to give him a little more time -- and he would repay it.
The king -- knowing the debt was so great it could not be repaid -- had mercy on him. He not only stopped the sale of the man and his family -- but also forgave the man his entire debt!
The lesson Peter and the others were to learn, came from what the man did after that…
Newly forgiven of his own immense debt, he went out and confronted someone who owed him a small debt -- and put him in prison until he got payment!
The lesson for Peter and the others to grasp?
The offense is not important -- it is the mercy!
The number of times you forgive is not important -- it is the mercy!
How can we hope for forgiveness and mercy -- which we all so desperately need -- if we do not offer forgiveness and mercy ourselves?
How we treat others is a good indication of how we will be treated.
Earlier, Peter and the others heard Jesus say, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
Think about it... No matter how you have been offended and sinned against -- it pales in comparison to our offenses and sins against the Father -- and He didn’t just forgive our debt -- His Son paid it!
