Matthew 18:21-35
Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, 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. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But 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.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
The Kingdom of heaven is the place where forgiveness pours down in a gush of grace that floods wrongs done and obliterates offenses. The Kingdom of heaven is the place where each of my offenses against God, all my indebtedness to God, are canceled in the abundance of God's love. The Kingdom of heaven is the sea of acceptance in which I float – only by passing on forgiveness as freely as I receive it. I willingly receive God's forgiveness. Do I as willingly extend it? I know this only in the moments of offense, of being disrespected or rejected, of being abused or taken advantage of, of being treated as less than who I believe myself to be. I want to forgive. I choose to forgive. I believe I forgive. I can count no record of indebtedness. Yet, in the time of testing, I pray again, Lord Jesus, deliver me from evil.
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