Read Matthew 18:21-35.
To FORGIVE or NOT TO FORGIVE, That Is The Question?!?
Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
I feel when Peter said, “Up to seven times,” that he may have been thinking he was being very generous with that high of a number. Think about it! If someone sins against us we often have zero tolerance and zero compassion for them. We instantly respond with anger and hatredness; and are in an attack mode or revengeful mode. Plus, we justify our response because “They sinned against us!” The last thing on our mind is forgiveness.
However, some may be forgiving the first time, but the second or third time? No way! So seven must have sounded like a pretty high and gracious number. Yet, Jesus shot even that number down. He went on to say, not seven but 70 times 7. Jesus, of course, wasn’t being literal. He wasn’t saying forgive them 490 times and then 491 you don’t. Jesus exaggerated such a high number as a way of saying you forgive them every time.
Jesus then compares the kingdom of heaven to one who does not forgive others. He told this story about a lord/King who gathered all his slaves together who owed him money. The one slave owed him an astronomical amount of money. As a result the king was going to sell the man, his wife, his children, and all their possessions. This means they would most likely be broken up as a family. So the slave begged for patience and his lord had compassion for the man and forgave him everything and released him.
No sooner did this man leave and he sees one of his own slaves who owed him a very small amount of money. He grabbed his slave and choked him while demanding his money. The man begged for patience, but received no forgiveness. Instead he was thrown in prison.
When the lord heard of this, he was enraged and called his slave back and called him a wicked slave because he couldn’t forgive like he had been forgiven. His punishment was to be handed over to the torturers.
Jesus then said that his Heavenly Father will do the same for those who don’t forgive others “from their heart.” This means you forgive completely with love and compassion.
Let me add to this: is such a person is a repeat offender, it doesn’t mean you have to trust them. I feel you have to be cautious while still loving and encouraging the person.
Our forgiveness could be a testimony to the individual as we share about the forgiveness of Christ for our sins into a changed and transformed life.
