Stop Counting
Matthew 18:21-35
Have you ever failed to forgive someone who hurt you?
Photo by Anastasia Vityukova on Unsplash
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” - Matt. 18:21-35
I can’t help but think that Peter had a reason for asking Jesus this question.
How often should I forgive?
The implication here is that someone has repeatedly hurt him in some way. It was probably not a single event, or he wouldn’t have asked how often. Should he forgive seven times?
Now, seven is a powerful number in Jewish tradition. It represents completeness. So Peter is asking if he should completely forgive the person who hurt him.
Jesus amplifies that period by making it seventy-seven times. In other words, stop counting. The number is infinite.
We may say that no one can be that forgiving, and I think that is the point of the parable Jesus tells him.
Only God can be that forgiving, and yet, if we fail to forgive someone who comes to us honestly, we become the ones God looks down upon.
So, it is a difficult position to be in.
Forgiving is so difficult that we tend to judge those who forgive when the crime against them is great. We can’t imagine being so loving and understanding, so we mock the forgiver.
But forgiving someone is therapeutic for the forgiver. Letting go of the anger and pain helps us heal, even though the pain of forgiving can be just as great as the loss or hurt.
When Jesus tells Peter to stop counting, he is saying to let it go. Free yourself from this once and for all.
Live without the added burden of suffering we put upon ourselves when we fail to forgive.
It is far from easy. It takes strength and fortitude.
It is equivalent to wiping the dust from our feet and moving on.
More to come...