So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. Matthew 18:26-27 ESV
A servant – we’ll call him Joe – owed his master a massive amount of money (Approximately 13 billion dollars in today’s currency). When the master asked the servant to repay his debt, Joe fell to his knees pleading for more time. But the master went far beyond that, forgiving Joe his entire debt!
A short time later, Joe ran into someone who owed him money (approximately 6,000 dollars in today’s currency). When that person pleaded with Joe for more time to repay what he owed, Joe refused and put him in prison until he should repay the debt.
When Joe’s master heard this, he grew angry and summoned him, saying, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” And so he delivered him to the jailers until he should pay all his debt.
The parable ends with this warning, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
When we fully realize how much mercy God has extended towards us – mercy that we never deserved yet He freely gave – how can we not extend mercy to others? Forgiveness is not natural – it is only within the scope of God’s forgiveness and mercy that we are able to forgive at all and extend mercy towards others.
Paul Tripp sums it up beautifully: “I must always remember the grace I am daily given and extend that grace to the people in my life.”
Prayer: Lord, I fall on my knees in gratitude for all you have forgiven me. Thank you for your mercy which knows no bounds. And out of that overflow of mercy, empower me to extend that same mercy towards the people in my life. Create in me a heart of love and forgiveness that testifies to all that You have done in my own life. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
“Your Grace Still Amazes Me” by Phillips, Craig, and Dean:
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ILpLIcuWwPA&list=RDAMVMbhit3XhQm-Q