Lent Day 14

Matthew 18:21-35

People can be cruel. I've certainly been hurt badly by others' actions. Yet no matter how hard it has been to forgive another person, God has chosen to forgive far more from me. I would like to say that I'm the innocent person who didn't deserve to be treated so badly, but that's not always the case either. Sometimes I'm hurt because the other person is reacting to my own sinful actions. But no matter who started the sin or whose sin was greater, for each and every sin I have to forgive another person there are a hundred more sins I've committed against God yet He has chosen to forgive. I'd like to be in the position to forgive others simply because God has forgiven me for much more, yet it is enough if I simply remember that I don't want God to treat me like the king ended up treating the unforgiving servant. Our goal is to obey God because we love Him and want to be more like Him. But if we obey Him because we don't want to be disciplined by Him, that's enough for now. Jesus used fear of punishment to motivate His disciples to forgive each other, so if that's what you need to encourage you to forgive each and every person each and every time they hurt you, then remember that God does not look kindly on people who refuse to forgive others when He has forgiven us for so very much.