More Than a StorySample

Take a minute and think back to a time when you really struggled to forgive someone. The easy thing to do is not forgive and simply move on from the situation with no resolution. Forgiveness is HARD. It requires us to exhibit just about all of the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). The passage we read today begins with Peter asking Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus replied, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus isn’t giving an exact number here. He is instead communicating that there’s no limit to forgiveness. To further answer Peter’s question, Jesus tells the parable of the Unforgiving Servant. In this parable, a servant owed a king ten thousand talents—equivalent to millions of dollars. Yikes! This was a huge debt that he could not pay. The servant asked for patience, and the king showed him mercy by forgiving his debt completely. That’s right, he went from owing an unpayable debt to owing absolutely nothing. Despite the incredible mercy shown to him, the servant didn’t show the same mercy to a fellow servant who owed him money. Word got back to the king, and it didn’t end so well for the servant.

What does this mean for us? First, we learn that we have a perfect Heavenly Father who shows us undeserving mercy every single day. Despite our shortcomings and failures, He continues to love us unconditionally. Through His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, He has forgiven our sins and given us the gift of eternal life. In light of this incredible grace and mercy, we should also be willing to show forgiveness toward others. Holding onto bitterness and resentment only harms us, but when we choose to forgive, we show the mercy and love that the Lord has so graciously shown us. Forgiveness isn’t easy, but it is necessary for our spiritual growth and relationship with the Lord. When we forgive, we are imitating Christ, who forgave those who wronged Him. It is through His strength that we can let go of what we’re holding onto and show kindness, even when it is difficult. We bring glory to God and spread His love to those around us when we live with a heart of forgiveness.