Elect Lady's Corner

We know to forgive is the right thing to do, and although you said you forgave, but really! Forgiveness is more than words from your mouth! “Like, I said it and now it’s done!”  No, it has to go further than that! Just because you said it, does not mean you meant it. Men tell women all the time, they love them and their more special to them than any other woman, until they get what they want from them, and then they move on to the next woman with the same words. 

Even when men hurt or abuse a woman, they just say” Baby, give me another chance and this will never happen again!” Really? Well, why did it happen again and again? (But, note: forgiveness does not mean you have to allow a person to trample over you, disrespect, or abuse you!) So, how many times do I have to forgive a person? 

Peter asked this question to Jesus in Matthew 18:21: “Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till 7 times?”  Peter supposed seven times was an accurate number because Jesus had taught on offenses in Luke 17:4 and Jesus said: “And if he (your brother) trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shaIt, forgive him.” 

But, it’s interesting what the Apostles replied to Jesus in v.5: “…Lord, increase our faith.” Forgiveness is not an easy thing to do and that’s why we need God to help us or increase our faith to forgive as we should. Forgiveness deals with hurt or offense that was inflicted upon a person and the person then can become bitter and hold a grudge against the offender. 

So, when Peter asked Jesus was seven times adequate to forgive a person for their offenses, Jesus answered him in Matthew 18:22: “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee seven times: (Peter probably took a sigh of relief after Jesus said I’m not saying you have to forgive seven times, but then, Jesus went on to say) but, Until seventy times seven.” 

Peter! Peter! why didn’t you just leave it alone? But, afterwards, Jesus goes on to tell a parable on instructions concerning forgiveness! (Matthew 18:21–35) He compared forgiveness to the Kingdom of Heaven! The parable said there was a King who went to settle his accounts with all his servants that were indebted to him; and there was one man who owed him 10, 000 talents or $ 3,840,000,000 (3 billion 840 million dollars). 

But, because the man was not able to pay his debt, the King ordered that the man, his wife and children, and all that he had be sold to pay his debt. But the servant fell on his knees before the King and begged: Lord, have patience with me and I will pay you back everything. Then, the Master had compassion on the servant and forgave him of all the debt that he owed him. 

But, the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him an hundred pence (or $ 3200), and he grabbed him by the neck and began choking him and said: “Pay me what you owe me!” But, again, his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him saying: Have patience with me and I will pay you back everything!

But, he refused to forgive him and had the man cast into prison until he could pay the debt. But, when the other servants saw what had happened, they were very grieved and went to the Master and told him all that this servant had done to a fellow servant. So, the Master called the servant in and said: O, thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all your debt, because you begged me. 

Why didn’t you have the same compassion on your fellow servant like I had on you? And his Master was angry with him and sent him to the tormentors until he was able to pay all his debt. (Which he would never be released from the tormentors because the debt was too high to pay.) 

But the most important thing in this parable is not just to say you forgave a person, but it is what Jesus emphasized in v. 35: “So, likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses.”  Forgiveness has to be a heart thing and not a mouth thing! So, make sure when it comes to forgiveness you mean it from your heart and not just your lips! 

So, I ask you again: “I Know You Said You Forgave, But Really!”