Psalms 49:7-9 “No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them— the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough— so that they should live on forever and not see decay.”

Matthew 18:32-33 “Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?”

One of the first things we are taught as children is the concept of consequences. We learn for our own safety and so that we will be able to make wise choices when confronted with right and wrong. When a wrong is done, there will always be a price to pay. Sometimes a choice can be made regarding who must pay. When someone wrongs you, you can choose to make that person pay the penalty, either through the intervention of the law or else by imposing some kind of personal punishment or revenge…or, you can choose to forgive that person. While forgiveness is the path taught by Christ, it is not an easy choice because a penalty still must be paid. When you choose to forgive – you take the suffering on yourself. Human nature wants others to suffer when they have made us suffer. But that is not the nature we have received through the redemptive work of Jesus. Much like the king in Jesus’ parable, he has forgiven us a debt so huge we couldn’t pay it. Shouldn’t we then be willing to do likewise for our fellow man? Can we not get beyond ourselves and put on the heart and mind of Christ?

Pray: “Dearest brother, you taught us that love is the answer to all things. Your word teaches us that love “bears all things” and “endures all things (I Cor 13:7). Help me, I pray, to remember to forgive as I have been forgiven. No blood is being asked of me…only a forgiving spirit. With your help I can offer that. Thank you, Lord Jesus – Amen.”