Read: Matthew 18:23–35
Bible in a Year: 1 Kings 21–22; Luke 23:26–56
Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13
I arrived early at my church to help set up for an event. A woman
stood crying at the opposite end of the sanctuary. She’d been cruel and
gossiped about me in the past, so I quickly drowned out her sobs with a
vacuum cleaner. Why should I care about someone who didn’t like me?
When the Holy Spirit reminded me how much God had forgiven me, I
crossed the room. The woman shared that her baby had been in the
hospital for months. We cried, embraced, and prayed for her daughter.
After working through our differences, we’re now good friends.
In Matthew 18, Jesus compares the kingdom
of heaven to a king who decided to settle his accounts. A servant who
owed a staggering amount of money pleaded for mercy. Soon after the king
canceled his debt, that servant tracked down and condemned a man who
owed him far less than what he’d owed the king. When word got back to
the king, the wicked servant was imprisoned because of his own
unforgiving spirit (vv. 23–34).
Choosing to forgive doesn’t condone sin, excuse the wrongs done to
us, or minimize our hurts. Offering forgiveness simply frees us to enjoy
God’s undeserved gift of mercy, as we invite Him to accomplish
beautiful works of peace-restoring grace in our lives and our
relationships.
Lord, help us give our grievances to You so that You may turn them into something good. Make us ready to forgive completely and earnestly. Give us Your spirit of unity.
Forgiving others expresses our trust in God’s right to judge according to His perfection and goodness.
© 2017 Our Daily Bread Ministries
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