Thursday August 14th: From the heart

“And that is how my Heavenly Father will deal with you unless you you each forgive your brother from your heart.”

Matthew 18:21- 19:1

This parable offers a valuable lesson in forgiveness. The king represents those of us who believe it is time to settle our business. When someone under us is unable to come up to scratch, we waste no time condemning them, even if it means destroying their lives. As sometimes happens, we may be moved to be gracious and overlook their transgressions.

However, when the same person who is forgiven does something that shows he or she isn’t grateful for our generosity, our true nature emerges. Rather than remain in the spirit of forgiveness, we allow our ego to get the better of us and, without remorse, consign the offender to a life of torture.

Forgiveness is then seen as conditional – you act as I do, or else. Whereas, Jesus reminds us that if we want to live kingdom values, we must forgive not seven times but seventy-seven times, that is, over and over again. We need to submit our ego to the greater good of true forgiveness, only possible through God’s grace.