Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 18
18
WHO IS TRULY GREAT?
1The ones who walked the road with Creator Sets Free (Jesus) came to him. “Who is the greatest one on Creator’s good road from above?” they asked.
2He had a small child come to him and stood the child in front of them.
3“I speak from my heart,” he said to them, “unless you become like a little child, you will not find the pathway onto the good road. 4The ones who humble themselves, like this little child, will become great ones in the Land of Creator’s good road.”
He then lifted up the child into his arms.
5“The ones representing me who welcome a little child like this one welcome me.”
STUMBLING STONES
Then he spoke in a more serious manner.
6“But for the ones who put a stumbling stone in the path of one of these little ones who trust in me, it would be better for them to have a great stone tied to their necks and be drowned in the deep waters! 7This world of sorrow and pain will make many stumble, but how terrible it will be for the ones who go along with it!
8“So, if what your hand or foot does makes you stumble from the path, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to walk this life without a hand or foot than to be thrown into the fire that burns on and on.
9“If what your eye sees makes you stumble on the path, then gouge it out and throw it away! It is better for you to walk this life with only one eye than to be thrown into the Valley of Smoldering Fire.
10“So do not look down on even one of these little ones, for their spirit-messengers in the spirit-world above always look upon the face of my Father, the one who is above us all. 11For the True Human Being has come to find the lost ones and set them free.”#18:11 Verse 11 does not appear in most ancient manuscripts.
THE WORTH OF THE LITTLE ONES
12“How do you see it?” he asked them. “If a man has one hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountainside to go and find the lost one? 13If he finds that lost one, I speak from my heart, he will find more joy for that one than for the ninety-nine that were not lost. 14In the same way your Father from the spirit-world above does not want to lose even one of these little ones.
HANDLING CONFLICT
15“If a tribal family member wrongs you, go to him alone and tell him. If he listens, then you have won him back. 16If he cannot see the wrong, then go to him with one or two others who have seen the wrong, so he can hear them. 17If he still will not listen, take him before the sacred family council. If he will not hear the council, then he will be the same to you as an outsider or a tribal tax collector.
18“I speak from my heart, what has been decided in the spirit-world above is what you will decide on earth. 19-20From my heart I will say it again this way: When two or three have gathered together on earth to represent me, I will be there in spirit to guide you. Then, under my guidance, whatever two or more of you agree upon and ask for will be done by my Father from above.”
QUESTION ABOUT FORGIVENESS
21Stands on the Rock (Peter) came close to Creator Sets Free (Jesus). “Wisdomkeeper,” he asked, “how many times must I forgive a brother or sister who does wrong to me? Is seven times enough?”
22“Not just seven times,” Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered, “but seventy times seven.”
STORY ABOUT FORGIVENESS
To help them see more clearly into the ways of forgiveness, he told them a story.
23“So then, Creator’s good road is like a ruler who wanted to collect the debt owed to him by his hired servants. 24The first one brought to him owed ten thousand horses.#18:24 About sixteen years of wages 25The man could not repay him, so the ruler ordered that the man, his family, and all he owned be sold to pay for the debt.
26“The servant fell to his knees before him and said, ‘Ruler, give me time and I will repay all that I owe!’
27“The ruler felt sorry for the servant, set him free, and released him from his debt.
28“But that same servant went to one of his fellow servants who owed him only a small horse blanket.#18:28 About a day’s wages He took hold of the man’s throat and said, ‘Pay me all that you owe!’
29“The man humbled himself, bowed down, and pleaded, ‘Please, give me more time and I will repay you!’
30“But he would not even listen and threw the man into prison until he could pay all that he owed. 31When his fellow servants saw this, it made their hearts fall to the ground. They went to the ruler and told him the sad story.
32“The ruler had the man brought to him and said, ‘You worthless servant! How could your heart be so cold? I forgave you all your debt because you begged me to. 33Why would you not do the same for your fellow servant?’
34“The ruler was angry with him and put him in prison to be punished until his debt was paid in full.”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked deep into the eyes of the ones who walked the road with him.
35“My Father from above is warning you that the same thing will happen to you unless, from your heart, you each forgive your fellow human beings.”
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Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story 18: FNVNT
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