Forgiving Those Who Wound UsНамуна

The Basis of Forgiveness

When you see the faults in others, what do you do?

Many of us carry around deep spiritual wounds that we have received at the hands of others. Those who wounded us might have said a cursory “I’m sorry” and moved on. Maybe they acted as if nothing harmful had occurred. Do you find it difficult to forget the specifics? Do you avoid those who have hurt you? On the other hand, perhaps others have avoided you because of the wrongs you have done to them.

In this parable Jesus calls the servant evil because, after receiving forgiveness, he did not respond in kind. Instead, he held his debtors to a higher standard than that to which he held himself. As we read this passage our hearts cry out, “Unfair!” We can see the injustice so clearly: the servant should have forgiven the debts of those who owed him.

We recognize and desire fairness because of God’s common grace to us. How should we respond to the faults of others? This passage warns us about harboring unforgiveness in our hearts. Here we see exactly how God expects us to respond to the sinful behavior of others—he expects us to forgive. On what basis does God impose this expectation? His expectation is founded on his own loving forgiveness toward us. We often judge others with a different standard than we use to judge ourselves.

We see the sins of others toward us as more grievous than our own misdeeds, or we expect them to show greater mercy than we ourselves are willing to grant. Such behavior on our part is forbidden by God. Instead, he wants us to remember his mercy and act accordingly. Ultimately, our sins against others are sins against God. He created each of us and desires that we see one another as precious, even placing the needs of others before our own (Philippians 2:1-4). He has clearly set a high standard of forgiveness—the gift of our own salvation.

How can you change? List some of the ways in which God has forgiven you. Consider God’s great love for you: in Christ he freely provided a way for you to be forgiven, even as you rejected him (Romans 5:8). Begin to extend forgiveness to others, not based on a feeling, but based on the free and merciful gift God has given you.