A couple of blogs ago, I began the "one anothers" of the New Testament with Jesus' words "Love one another" launching us into the study. I thought I would take two lessons to talk about the characteristics of love that Paul gave to us in 1 Cor. 13 but decided I would proceed when I saw that in that chapter, some of the other "one anothers' are included such as the last one we looked at- "love is kind."
Today, I write from the same verse I referenced last time in Eph. 4:32 which says -"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,(I love that word.) forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Many Bible teachers believe that the description of love in 1 Cor. 13:5- "love thinks no evil" simply means that we are not to keep a record of wrongdoing committed against us. I ask us today- how are we doing with that? Do we keep a scorecard and if so, may we be challenged today, as the family of God, to tear it up and throw it away? Maybe there is no better lesson taught on this matter of forgiveness (other than the cross scene) as our Lord did in Matt. 18 when Peter, more concerned over being wronged, asked the question that, I think, might have exuded some pride, just like us, might I add. "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Seven times?" The rabbis, I read, thought that three times was enough so I suppose that Peter thought he was really being generous in this arena of overlooking his brother's wrongs.
Jesus, as He was and still is prone to do, deflates our ego with His answer- "I say not unto thee, until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" and that, of course, implying an innumerable time that we are to forgive our brother or sister. In Luke 17, when Jesus was again speaking to His disciples concerning forgiving their brothers, they replied- "Increase our faith." Now, whether they are reacting to Jesus' forgiveness sermon or to all the other issues He is expounding to them, I don't know but I do know this- forgiving doesn't come easily from a natural standpoint (our egos and justifications for being bitter stand in the way) but remember, Believer, we live in a supernatual strength and too, Jesus surely doesn't command us to do something that He won't empower us to do and He said we are to forgive. From Peter's question, Jesus gives a story, one we are very familiar with but let me reacquaint us with the significance of it. A certain king has a servant brought before him because he(the king) has discovered that he(the servant) owes the king ten million dollars or so I read that is the equivalent to the ten thousand talents. Imagine with me, that this man who in no way can pay that tremendous debt, is me and you. See our pitiful position as we see the king view our spouses and kids and grandkids and all we own and demand they be sold as slaves to work off the debt. Our hearts break and we fall on our knees and plead that he would be merciful and have patience with us until we can try to pay it back. Look into the face of the king, filled with compassion (love is kind) and hear the words that you did not expect- "I release you; I forgive the debt." O, WHAT JOY!!
Now, as we head back to our place, free and completely forgiven, we meet a brother or sister who we remember owes us seventeen or two thousand dollars. In my study, one commentator said the hundred pence equaled seventeen dollars, one noted two thousand dollars in our economy. I didn't even bother to look up the money measurements because regardless of the amount, it is not even comparable to ten million, and that being the point. We grab our creditor by the throat and demand that he or she pay us back. We, who was just shown such mercy, offer none as we throw them into prison. Pretty sad, isn't it? Pretty familiar, isn't it? Verse 31 is interesting to me as these two servants' fellow laborers are grieved by what they have just seen transpire. Yes, I think the lesson is that we hurt the church when we fail to forgive. There is more at stake than our petty grievances. The forgiving master is angry when he hears what has taken place and asks- " Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?" Now, I know that I may have a reader today who has suffered tremendous hurt in a short time that I will not realize even in a lifetime and I do not downplay for an instant the hurt that comes from wrongdoing. I, also, realize that we all have worn both shoes at some time in our lives- either we have been offended or we have been the offender. Before the King of Kings, we all stand guilty of a debt that is impossible to pay and yet, see with me, His swollen, beaten, unrecognizable face, crown of thorns pressed into His head, and hear the words our dying Savior utters as He looks and hears from a mocking crowd- "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Let's be challenged and ask ourselves today- can we not forgive the much less debt that we feel is owed to us? He has set us free- why do we want to imprison ourselves by refusing to forgive our brother or sister?
I close with a quote from Charles Swindoll- "Forgiving is not so much excusing the offender's guilt as releasing the person in God's grace and freeing ourselves to live without pain. It's as much for our benefit as the other person's. For by unhooking the offender, we unhook ourselves from the bitterness and anger that can sour our lives and turn us into stumbling blocks to the people around us. Our forgiveness gives people a sweet taste of Christ's forgiveness, a taste that will draw them to Him rather than point them away."
Looking to forgive and be forgiven,
Deborah
On a footnote: I was visiting with a friend yesterday who conveyed the story of a 15-yr. old boy in her neighborhood who committed suicide last week by hanging himself. His younger brother discovered the awful scene. I prayed and want you to do the same for the grief-stricken family (the Trautwein family) who I cannot even imagine the pain they are feeling. At times like these, I am again reminded that to hold onto hurts and unforgiving spirits just really make no sense in the light of some things, do they?
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