September 5

Day 175: Makes Us Wince

Matthew 18 represents for many of us a Scriptural neighborhood. We tend to recall one primary address in this neighborhood. We're quick to remember this memorable address as the "rules for confrontation chapter."

And so it is. Jesus gives clear instruction and process respective to how to confront someone else in the church who has sinned against us. More so, Jesus emphasizes the motivation.

However, there is much more in this chapter of Matthew's. Towards the end, there is a parable, a story told to prove a point. We tend to forget it's there, because we wish it wasn't there, because it makes all of us wince.

A servant owes a king a lot of money. Nearly impossible to pay back in a single debtor's lifetime. Impossible to pay back if locked away in debtor's prison.

Knowing he's in deep yogurt, the servant goes to the king, and begs, grovels and pleads for mercy.

Amazingly, it works. The king takes pity on him. The king forgives him of the entire debt.

Nice Hallmark story so far. But sadly it continues. Downhill.

The now released and debt-free servant leaves the courtroom happy and relieved. Soon after, he happens upon another servant who owes him maybe a third of a year's wages. Still a sizable debt, for sure; but much less so than what was just forgiven and wiped off the ledger.

The man who owes the servant of the king begs, grovels and pleads for mercy. The servant refuses pity, extends no mercy, and puts his fellow servant in that same debtor's prison.

Others watch in horror at the inequity of it all, and report what they've witnessed to the king.

The king does what anyone would expect. Calling the first servant back to the courtroom, the king, now in a rage calls out his wickedness, wondering how this servant could not have been forgiving himself. How the mercy shown him wasn't internalized.

And the king sends this servant to the debtor's prison, presumably to be incarcerated next to the other servant he had refused to forgive.

The last line in the story, and in Matthew 18 is this: "So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

This is the mic drop moment. This is the one line that makes any of us wince. To the extent we almost wish it wasn't there in the story at all.

"Forgive your brother...from the heart" does not mean, when he/she has paid you back, maybe suffered a little for their sin against you. Without a requirement for public shaming. Or recompense. Or self-validation, forgiving only after a winner's medal has been pinned on the lapel of the one previously offended.

Luke 12:48 says, "Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required."

This does not speak to interest rates honored, or debts repaid. The requirement is that each of us who have received the salvation mercy of God Almighty would emulate our King, and forgive others.

Hard to argue the point. Even if it makes us wince.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau