Listen

“When his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply offended. They came and told their master all that happened. His master called the first servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me. Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt.

“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you if you don’t forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Matthew 18:31-35

Think

Actions have consequences, and there are times when we must be held accountable for our behavior. Those who receive another chance must be willing to give another chance.

To want something good for ourselves that we do not also want for others can create an “every person for themselves” way of being in the world. This is harmful to the building of healthy relationships and supportive communities. Jesus’ parable makes clear: Those who are forgiven are expected to be forgiving.

People who forgive have an awareness of their own faults and seek to create a world where bad choices should not condemn us forever.

Kamal Hassan

Pray

God, may I be accountable to the people I have wronged. I need to approach them and offer to fix what I have broken. May I be forgiven when I have believed my needs are more important than the needs of others. May I speak up for those who have been victimized. Amen.

Go

I don’t feel no ways tired,

I come too far from where I started from.

Nobody told me that the road would be easy,

I don’t believe He brought me this far to leave me.

from “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” by Curtis Burrell (1978)