In so many ways…
This is the wrong question!
And Jesus finishes His answer to Peter
By talking about the “heart”
“Then Peter came to Him and said,
“Lord, how often shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him?
Up to seven times?””
(Matthew 18:21)
At first reading this looks like
A great question with an
Equally good suggested solution
“Up to SEVEN times?”
But the question reveals Peter’s “heart”
He is NOT truly interested in the
Number of times that he should forgive
Rather he wants to know
WHEN
Does he no longer HAVE to forgive
And if you are honest…
That is how so many of us think too
We want to know when is it right
To start “paying them back”
For all the hurt that they have caused US
And THAT “US” or rather “ME”
Is where the root of the problem is
Peter was concerned about how much
He had been hurt
He was concerned about HIMSELF
Which, of course, is SELFISH…
And that is NOT godly…
Peter and the other Disciples
Were with Jesus
They were His Followers
And Followers, Disciples
Copied the One that they Followed
To become more like Him
We, as Christians, have the Spirit of God
Living inside of US
Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit
And we endeavour to LIVE our lives
According to what Jesus wants
Led by and guided by the Holy Spirit
Indeed letting Him live in and through US
And this is a “HEART” transformation
When we come to Jesus
We have settled our hearts,
That He is Lord
And purpose to live by truth
The Bible – the Word of God
So Jesus answers Peter with
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
(Matthew 18:22 – 35)
And finishes with these words:
“So My heavenly Father also will
do to you if each of you, from his heart,
does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
(Matthew 18:35)
As Christians our Nature is no longer
The one we were born with
As we have been Born Again
So we will NOT be those who are
Looking for revenge
Rather we will be looking for
The wellbeing of the other person
Or persons
We may delay and “Sound Off”
For a while or a bit…
But when we settle…
That “still small voice” brings us back…
And we follow His leading…
And FORGIVE from our “hearts”
As we walk with the Lord…
And renew our minds…
That “Sounding Off” time…
Get’s shorter and shorter