Seventy x Seven

Good morning!  I hope you had a great weekend.

Throughout our lives we face times and circumstances in which we feel we have been wronged by someone else.   Our natural responses can run the emotional spectrum from resentment to hatred, but for the follower of Jesus, the example of forgiveness has been clearly given.   Even as He was being put to death, Jesus cried out for the forgiveness of those putting Him to death.

Forgiveness is never easy, particularly when we have been wounded deeply.   Our desire to never be wounded by an individual again, leads to a vast array of defenses being erected in our lives.  We simply do not want to give those who have offended us the opportunity to do it again.

Peter was wrestling with the need to extend forgiveness as he posed this question to Jesus:

Matthew 18:21-22 (HCSB)
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how many times could my brother sin against me and I forgive him?  As many as seven times?”
“I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus said to him, “but 70 times seven.”

Peter was looking for that justification to hold a grudge.  His question was simple, surely there must be a limit to the amount of forgiveness that should have to be offered to someone who has wrong us?  Peter gave a number that to him seemed generous.  After forgiving someone seven times already, there should be no obligation to forgive again, if they wrong him again.  Jesus instead responded that forgiveness needed to offered exponentially more.

This standard of forgiveness is in play in our lives each and every day.  What if God placed an arbitrary number on His forgiveness?  Suppose God's forgiveness was no longer available to you and I after our 500th offense, even our 1,000th offense.  Most of us would have exhausted God's forgiveness before we were even out of primary school.  The simple disobedience of childhood and the rebellion of youth would have exhausted that forgiveness supply.   God continues to forgive us time and time again, that is the example we have been called to follow even though it is difficult at times.

When we refuse to forgive, we allow unforgiveness to control us.  Rarely is the person who has offended us, affected by our resentment.  That area of our lives is robbed of the peace that is rightfully ours and that lack of peace reflects in our actions and words.  

Today, there may be someone who needs your forgiveness.  Their actions may not warrant forgiveness, but true forgiveness is not based on the actions of the other person, true forgiveness is birthed within you, it is your act of mercy and grace towards them.  As difficult as this step may be, it will be very freeing for you in the long run.  By taking this step, you will be releasing the hold that unforgiveness has on your life.

Until next Monday, may God's richest blessings be yours this week.

Carl