Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 18:21-35 on biblegateway.com
Verse 21Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Verse 22Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. Verse 23"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. Verse 24When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; Verse 25and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. Verse 26So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' Verse 27And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. Verse 28But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' Verse 29Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' Verse 30But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. Verse 31When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Verse 32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Verse 33Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' Verse 34And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. Verse 35So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
Devotion
A former mentor taught me that, for the Christian community, “Forgiveness is like the air we breathe.” Putting limits on forgiveness is like trying to ration how much oxygen we are allowed to inhale. To ask, “Must I forgive my fellow Christian?” is like asking, “Do we have to breathe?” The day a Christian community ceases to practice mutual forgiveness is the day it begins to suffocate and die.
But what about those outside the community of faith? Are we obligated to forgive them as well? Are we obligated to forgive the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks 7 years ago today? Aren’t those relationships already dead?
Perhaps requiring us to forgive our enemies is asking too much of us. But not of God. Jesus placed no limits on God’s forgiveness. The love of God is able to breathe life into relationships that were long since dead.
Prayer
Gracious God, may we come to view every sin committed against us as an opportunity to become more like you. Breathe into us your spirit of forgiveness that we might begin to forgive others as you have already forgiven us. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.