‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Matthew 18:26

Jesus and Peter have some interesting discussions. Peter wants to know how many times he has to forgive someone (even up to seven times?), which I think we all can relate to a bit. Jesus’ answer pushes and challenges not just Peter, but us as well. It’s up to 490 times! How do we keep forgiving over and over? Aren’t we just being a doormat and a glutton for punishment? 

But Jesus doesn’t just answer with this one gratuitous idea of mercy. He uses another parable to make His point. In the tale of the two servants the lesson isn’t that complicated. If you can be forgiven, you should forgive as well. Logically that makes sense.

And yet, there may be a small detail that escaped our notice. The first servant is forgiven a debt after pleading for patience claiming that he will pay it back in full. Sounds reasonable, but his debt was not a simple thing. The New American Bible translation says a huge amount, but more specifically, this phrase can be translated as ten thousand talents. A talent is a gold coin and 1 talent = 6000 denarii. A denarii is one day's wage. So, let’s do the math. This servant owes $10,000 talents which equals 60 million days of wages. It would take him over 160,000 years to pay off this debt. Does that blow your mind? How could he ever repay that amount? Yet he pleads for the king to allow him to try. And the king has compassion and forgives him. 

Yet, even after receiving such an amazing gift of mercy, he sees someone who owes him much less (100 denarii). This is only 100 days of debt. Much easier to pay back then 160,000 years’ worth. It makes it even more amazing, that after receiving such a great mercy, this first servant is unable or unwilling to give that grace to someone else. We can look at that and see clearly that it is wrong. We understand the mistake this man is making and can shake our head at his foolishness or greed. 

But maybe we need to look at our hearts and see where we stand. God has forgiven us a debt as large or larger than ten thousand talents. There is no way we could ever pay back what we owe the Lord because of our own sins. Yet, God’s mercy knows no bounds and He is moved by compassion and forgives us over and over and over, doesn’t He? This parable makes us realize that the unforgiveness in our hearts towards those who have sinned against us, in the small and even the most painful ways, needs to be released. God knows that unforgiveness only hurts us. It does not harm the one who has harmed us. But it can slowly eat away at our peace and cause our hearts to harden. And God wants more than that for all of us. 

Reflection Questions: Take some time today to ask God to show you areas in your life where unforgiveness is festering. Be bold in stepping into that place with Jesus, so that He can bring healing. What type of freedom can you experience by giving grace and mercy to others? How will that make you a different person?