Day 21: Forgive and forget
6 March, Day 21: Mathew 18: 21-35
Christianity is one of the few religions that places a major emphasis on 'forgiveness'. There are just numerous references to it, especially in the New Testament when Jesus came to change the system, and tell people about the non-violent way of going about doing things.
I think it's because it makes it harder to love somebody when we hold resentment, anger or bitterness against them. A lack of forgiveness stops us from loving other people, and ourselves too in a way - as we end up being the smaller person when we dwell on things.
Today's verse is from Mathew 18: 21-35
Thoughts: Jesus uses the parable of the unmerciful servant to respond to Peter when he asks him how many times should he forgive. Jesus says just about a million times (well, 70 times 7 to be exact is what he says). The story goes like this.
A servant owned a huge amount to his King, but was not able to repay it. To repay the debt, his master ordered that he be sold, along with his family and property. When he falls on his knees and begs for more time, the master lets him go and waives the loan.
Later, the servant finds that a fellow servant had owed him a much smaller amount and he demanded to have it. He refused to respond to his fellow servant's pleas, and had him jailed. When the Master came to hear about this he was angry that the servant did not treat his fellow servant with pity like he had done for him. He ordered that he be tortured until he repay his debt.
Jesus stresses that this is how God will treat each of us too. We receive forgiveness as much as we forgive ourselves. It's a give and take system.
Despite hearing about forgiveness every other Sunday while growing up, I didn't pay much attention to it. But I do think it has made me into a person of a pretty easy going nature anyway, in the treatment of others I mean. I imagine that I am perceived as a person of a forgiving nature. I like keeping the peace. It's easy for me to shut the door on things, without giving too much importance to it.
However, forgetting doesn't come easily to me. I always remember past hurts and resentments, but shove it back inside where it doesn't have to be dealt with it as I pretend it has never bothered me to begin with. It has never truly occurred to me to consider actively 'forgiving' and forgetting too, as the latter is the result of forgiveness. Maybe I wasn't too great at the forgiveness thing to begin with?
Takeaway: Forgive small and big hurts from people closest to you from your heart.
Christianity is one of the few religions that places a major emphasis on 'forgiveness'. There are just numerous references to it, especially in the New Testament when Jesus came to change the system, and tell people about the non-violent way of going about doing things.
I think it's because it makes it harder to love somebody when we hold resentment, anger or bitterness against them. A lack of forgiveness stops us from loving other people, and ourselves too in a way - as we end up being the smaller person when we dwell on things.
Today's verse is from Mathew 18: 21-35
Thoughts: Jesus uses the parable of the unmerciful servant to respond to Peter when he asks him how many times should he forgive. Jesus says just about a million times (well, 70 times 7 to be exact is what he says). The story goes like this.
A servant owned a huge amount to his King, but was not able to repay it. To repay the debt, his master ordered that he be sold, along with his family and property. When he falls on his knees and begs for more time, the master lets him go and waives the loan.
Later, the servant finds that a fellow servant had owed him a much smaller amount and he demanded to have it. He refused to respond to his fellow servant's pleas, and had him jailed. When the Master came to hear about this he was angry that the servant did not treat his fellow servant with pity like he had done for him. He ordered that he be tortured until he repay his debt.
Jesus stresses that this is how God will treat each of us too. We receive forgiveness as much as we forgive ourselves. It's a give and take system.
Despite hearing about forgiveness every other Sunday while growing up, I didn't pay much attention to it. But I do think it has made me into a person of a pretty easy going nature anyway, in the treatment of others I mean. I imagine that I am perceived as a person of a forgiving nature. I like keeping the peace. It's easy for me to shut the door on things, without giving too much importance to it.
However, forgetting doesn't come easily to me. I always remember past hurts and resentments, but shove it back inside where it doesn't have to be dealt with it as I pretend it has never bothered me to begin with. It has never truly occurred to me to consider actively 'forgiving' and forgetting too, as the latter is the result of forgiveness. Maybe I wasn't too great at the forgiveness thing to begin with?
Takeaway: Forgive small and big hurts from people closest to you from your heart.
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