Chapter 18
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive
my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus answered, “I
tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23”Therefore, the kingdom of
heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he
began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to
him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and
his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26”The servant fell on his
knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’
27The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28”But
when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him
a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you
owe me!’ he demanded. 29”His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30”But he refused. Instead, he went
off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the
other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and
told their master everything that had happened. 32”Then the master called the
servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because
you begged me to. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as
I had on you?’ 34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured,
until he should pay back all he owed. 35”This is how my heavenly Father will treat
each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
Meditation:
1. Jesus gave us the most compelling reason of all to forgive one another in the
parable. A servant owed a king a huge debt and couldn’t pay back. The king
forgave the debt and let him go. Then the servant met another servant who
owned him a small sum, but he threw that man into prison until the debt was
paid. This angered the king as it was hardly appropriate for one who had been
forgiven so much to make such an issue of a debt which was so little.
2. What a reminder when we find our hearts hardening toward a brother or
sister after a few repeated hurts. God, the great King, has forgiven us an
absolutely unpayable debt, our sins.
3. Who is the one I find it hard to forgive? Meditate on the forgiveness I have
received from the Lord. Imagine myself as the first servant. Ask for grace to
forgive the other person.
Personal Note:
Before I know Christ, I lived for myself. I do not love and care for others. All I care about is my own comfort and desires. Living in this manner hurts people around me and it hurts God's heart. God loves me very much and do not want me to live this way. He reached out to save me. I was begging for mercy and realize how sinful I was, how much I owe God and to those I have hurt in the past. I am who I am today because of God's love.
The one I find it hard to forgive is ______. Thank you God for the grace so I can forgive from the heart.
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