I am drowning in emotions that won’t manifest but in spurts. We beg God to forgive us and help us in our debts and then we turn around and show no mercy on others that owe us, whether it is a debt of money owed, or a gesture of helping someone. We have read, been preached to, that love is the key. Is love the key? In the Bible the story that is told about a man that owed a huge debt, he meet before his debtor and asked forgiveness, telling him all the troubles that he has been through. The man he owed forgave him and even forgave his debt. He then went out in the street feeling good until he saw a man that owed him a small amount, even smaller than what he had owed. He pursues the man and told him he had to pay him now. The man that owed him, asked forgiveness and told him he didn’t have it. He was rough with him, got him by the throat and was yelling at him, warning him of consequences that might happen if he didn’t pay. The people that were watching went and told the other man that had forgiven his debt earlier. He became angry and sent for him, told him I forgave you of a larger debt and you went out and wouldn’t use the same forgiveness, what is wrong with you? Yes, what is wrong with us? We want forgiveness, but why is it so hard to forgive others of their debt. Jesus paid a debt that He didn’t owe. For us He did this. You think this may be the key? Forgiving instead of passing the buck!!! Someone always seems worse that we are, and sometimes it is true. But Jesus paid the debt for all people. Let this get down into our spirit that Jesus paid a debt He didn’t owe. All for us!! So that we won’t spend eternity in hell, so that we won’t have to spend our life in debt to someone human or yes, even the devil, so we can live free, free to give, free to love, free to forgive without reservation. We need to pay back our debt that he paid for us. Sometimes it is giving money to people, or giving of our time and showing our care for people. Show us Your ways Lord. You were human when You paid that debt. Help us Lord to walk in forgiveness, even when it comes down to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or even higher number of debtors or people who owe us in our life. Help us to always react like You. Anger is not a key, but we are allowed this. The enemy sometimes is “our mouth” when we allow it to talk or talk anger at the wrong time, saying hurtful even though truthful things. Venting is always good, but not to the persons you are angry with, or owes you money, or owe syou a favor, or to a person that may know the person who owes you or as done you wrong. You want mercy, you need to show mercy. You want love you need to show love. You want forgiveness, you need to show forgiveness. In the middle of situations like this we go through, we won’t to lash out. We won’t to make ourselves feel good by making someone else worse. Why? You think this is human nature? Jesus was human and he “chose” this not to be his nature. God the father didn’t force him to do what He did. He knew he could call out at any minute and 10, 000 angels would be at his side. This was when he was human!!! Instead He chose to die for us, to pay our debt! In some countries it could be dying for someone, but here in America most of the time it means dying to us. We can call for help in the time of any need that arises in our lives. The Word of God is our confession. It is our strength in these times. The Bible says, “Teach us your ways that we can walk with you”. If we are not learning and doing the Lord’s ways, are we not walking with the Lord? We are teaching ourselves, our ways and we are walking our own way. My prayer is “Lord help us” and the answer “He will and He is”!!!
He will and He is!
August 29, 2009 at 7:04 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: anger, Bible, debt, debtor, forgive, Forgiveness, free, God, Jesus, key, Lord, love
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alderdweller said,
August 31, 2009 at 12:31 am
Interesting lesson. My question is, should the one who owed money first (and begged forgiveness) expect to make restitution somewhere down the road.
We were in a situation like this back a few years ago, when my husband helped a minister remodel his home. When it came time to pay, he didn’t have it. My husband had no choice but to forgive him. Problem is, we found out this is the way he ran his whole life. Expecting something for nothing…even from sinners he was trying to win.
Now when we’re in his presence, he avoids us and doesn’t have the fellowship we used to have.
Also, he is able to buy nice new cars to drive and expensive clothes to wear. Shouldn’t paying what you owe come first?
I feel very sorry for those in true need who need help, but quite honestly I’ve felt cheated outright by those Christians who had better things to do with their money and felt you owed them something.
Yes, we are to forgive if we want forgiveness. No way around it. At the same time…God does not write them a blank check to do as they will. They have responsiblities and debts that they are expected to pay or at least pas as they can. I do not believe forgiveness releaves them of the debt. To me it says, “I am understanding you’re having hard times brother, and I will pray for you that times get better. When they do, then you pay me back out of your increase. For now, don’t worry about it and God bless you”.
Newsong80 said,
August 31, 2009 at 8:49 am
I understand how you feel and this person should make restitution if at all possible (and it sounds like it is possible). No doubt he is in the wrong. Especially if this is a “way of life” for him. It makes me question his “relationship” with God, but that is between him and the Lord. He is responsible and God will hold him accountable for his own actions. However, as a Christian, Jesus is our example. As the lesson says, He paid a debt He did not owe. It wasn’t His sin He died for. It was ours. Can we pay Him back? I guess you could call it “paying back as we can”. We can live our lives in such a way it brings honor to Him and shows Him thankfulness for all He has done for us. Is it full restitution? I don’t believe so…far from it. Forgiving others is part of what we owe Him (and ourselves). Should they give us what we are due (apology, money, a repair, etc)? Absolutely! Does our forgiving them depend on it? No. Unfortuately, often times it does put a wall in a relationship, but it doesn’t have to on our part. That’s our responsibility before God. Whether they ever make restitution or not, WE can benefit greatly from releasing them from it and letting the Lord do the rest. That’s my thoughts for whatever it’s worth.
Joyseeds said,
August 31, 2009 at 5:40 pm
The person in the Bible was wrong. (I wasn’t talking about anybody personally). We should look at it this way, when we come through life that people have done us wrong. React….. forigive them, because one day we may be in a position of that sitiuation of needing forgiviness. When we sow in forgiveness, there won’t be a score card kept…. there shouldn’t be a wall put up. My point is that we can as we serve the Lord, a “personal relationship”, and this gets us through and sometimes we may not handle situations , but we learn, because we are “walking with Him and He is teaching us”. Just like the story of the man of owe a debt, an illustration of forgiveness, Jeus showed us what to do and what not to do!!! Christians sometimes want to be so spiritual in their talk but not in their walk. They want to talk and beat people over with their words and even walk over them with thier words. When we should forgive with out words and let the Lord to the rest, and we should, “rest”! I love this!! Thanks Peggysong for your words!!
Joyseeds said,
August 31, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I understand what you are saying. But my point is , that we are to be like Jesus!!. He didn’t say to be like a “GOD”!! We do and make decisions that actually shapes out life here on earth. We do and we or to pattern our life like Jesus, like he was here on earth. He got angry when it came to the temple, perphaps it can be like our church or church families. Sometimes we may want to vent and run them out of the church. ha ha! not! We can understand people in the world, because they don’t know His forgiveness, but to people that are saved and should know the Lord and chose to either look the other way or act out their aggression. Why can’t we love like Jesus did, he was made human, why can’t we love like Him.
Alderdweller said,
August 31, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I do realize we’re all in a position of needing forgiveness. I certainly am!
To clarify (as is often difficult in text) it just seems much more hurtful and difficult to overlook when the offense comes from a brother in the Lord.
Yes, we are to forgive….always.
I am no saint by any means. I do feel like I have forgiven this person, a long time ago, but in reality I would find it hard to trust them again. I’m sure God may want me to work on that.
Still there is plenty spare room in my heart for God’s love to abide. I have other issues way bigger than the money issue with people that I do find it hard to forgive. I truly wonder if there aren’t occasions that we are incapable of forgiveness. To my thinking, I can only love this person through God and honestly, I’m not there yet.
The post just reminded me of this incident and how we should be mindful of how we treat others. I include myself above all.
Alderdweller said,
September 1, 2009 at 12:16 am
I found this that I liked very much and thought it went along with this discussion.
—————————————————————-
Nothing worth doing is completed in our lifetime,
Therefore, we are saved by hope.
Nothing true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history;
Therefore, we are saved by faith.
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone.
Therefore, we are saved by love.
No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as from our own;
Therefore, we are saved by the final form of love, which is forgiveness.”
Reinhold Niebuhr