Let God's Grace Be Contagious

How many times have you gone to God with the same question that Peter had in Matthew 18...."God, how many times do I have to forgive someone?" Except most of the time we probably already have a face or a name when we go to God with that question. The thing I love about the way Peter asked this is that it truly is the way we go to God a lot of the time, not just with the question, but also with the answer. Peter says "how often should I forgive my brother who has sinned against me? Up to seven times?" Don't we do that exact same thing? We almost hope that if we make the suggestion to God, then He will just agree with us. But rarely, if ever, does this work. God doesn't think like us, respond like us, or let us off the hook that easy. Jesus replies with a number, but not because it was supposed to be the exact answer. I think it was more for the shock value to the question. As if to say "oh you think seven is enough...well how about multiply that by 70!" I really don't think Jesus was saying "after they have wronged you 490 times you don't have to forgiven them anymore", I think he was just saying that you just keep forgiving.
Matthew 18 has always been one of my favorite and least favorite passages because of the story that gets told. That was just me being very real with that statement right there because it is a reminder to me of exactly how we can be as humans most of the time. We seek grace from God, but we forget to give it to others. We seek forgiveness from God, but we feel entitled to hold grudges towards people. We long for God's mercy, but please don't expect if from us. The story in Matthew 18 is the one where Jesus tells them that the Kingdom of heaven is like a King who was settling accounts with his servants. He had a servant who owned him a lot...and I am sure in those times it was a LOT. The bible says it was ten thousand talents. And just as the master was about to have the man, his family and all that he had, sold to repay the dept, the man begs for the master to have patience and promises to pay it all back. The master, moved by compassion, does decide to forgive this man of the whole dept, and sets him free. Then it goes on in 28-34 to say "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him."
This story is not just a reminder of how we should be, but it is also a reminder of how important it is to God that that we show the same kind of compassion on others that He shows to us. Often we hear this story without the last verse of Matthew 18, which says "“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” Not sure how much more blunt Jesus could have been, but to me He is saying that we will receive from God what we give to others. And again in Mark 11:25 Jesus said "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." I don't take this as a suggestion, I take it as a commandment. One that we, as Christ followers, must take more serious. God is a God of love, grace, mercy, patience and forgiveness. If we are to show the world who God is, then what a better way to start then to be these things toward others when they least expect it. Let God's grace be contagious in your life....
God, thank You for Your unending forgiveness toward us. It is so hard to wrap our minds around...to think of the grace and mercy You show us even on a daily basis. Please help us to offer this to others. Help us to be as much like You as we can be in this area of our life so people who may not know you, can experience You through our lives. In Jesus name, Amen.