Forgive to be Forgiven.

Quiet Talks On Prayer.

by S.D. Gordon

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

      “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 

“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ “So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ “But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.“

So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. “Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

A man owed his lord a great debt, 12 million dollars; that is to say and unpayable amount. And his lord generously forgave him the whole debt. That is Jesus' picture of God as he knows him best. Then this forgiven man went out and found a fellow servant who owed him - how much do you think? Have you ever thought Jesus had a keen sense of the ludicrous? Surely it shows here. He owed him about $16.25. . 

In effect, Jesus says what we have been forgiven by God is an unpayable amount. And what we are not willing to forgive is like $16.25 by contrast. What little puny folks some of us are in our thinking and feeling!

"Oh, well," someone says, "you do not know how hard it is to forgive." You think not? I know this much - that some persons and some things you cannot forgive of yourself. But I am glad to say I know this too, that if one allows the Spirit of Jesus to sway the heart he will make you love persons you cannot like. No natural affinity or drawing together because of disposition, but a real yearning love in the heart.

Jesus' love, when allowed to come in as freely as he means, fills your heart with pity for the man who has wounded you. An infinite, tender pity that he has sunk so low as to be capable of such actions.

But the fact to put down in the sharpest contrast of white and black is that we must forgive freely, frankly, generously, "even as God," if we are to be in prayer touch with God. End.

Personally, I have found this to be true. When I have had anger or hate in my heart towards anyone, I have asked God to put love in my heart. He does this. I learn to pity those who hurt me and it gives a great freedom to my heart.