Why do I have to forgive?

March 13, 2008 by Ruth
Filed under forgiveness

Devotionals for Kids:

“Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of his deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others…..Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3: 12 -13 [The Living Bible]

It happens to all of us; kids and adults. Life is good and everything seems perfect. But then someone hurts us. They might hurt us physically or they might lie about us or deceive or betray us. It might be someone you thought was a friend or it might be someone whom you hardly know and don’t even like.

You tell yourself, “I’m never going to forgive him. I hope something worse happens to him.”

Has something like this ever happened to you? It happens to all of us. Someone suggests to you just forgive and forget. But it isn’t as easy as it sounds.

In the Bible, in Matthew 18: 21 to 35, Jesus tells about a king who wanted to settle his financial accounts. One of his servants owed him $10,000,000. But the servant couldn’t pay his debt. The king ordered him to be sold along with his wife and kids until everything was paid off. That would have been more than a life time.

The servant begged the king to be patient with him and in time he would pay everything back. The king felt sorry for his servant and did even better. To the servant’s surprise he forgave him his debt. He never had to pay another penny back. How happy the servant must have been.

But, after he left the king this servant went to another man who owed him only $2,000. He even grabbed him by the throat and told him he had to pay him this minute. This man also begged for time. He told the servant he would pay every penny back; to just be patient. The servant had no mercy. He had the man arrested and thrown into jail until he could pay his debt.

This poor man’s friends went to the king and told him what the servant had done. So the king called the servant to come see him again. This time he scolded the servant.

“You evil-hearted wretch!” he said. “Here I forgave you all that tremendous debt, just because you asked me to – shouldn’t you have mercy on others, just as I had mercy on you?” [Matthew 19:23 - 35; The Living Bible]

Then the king had his servant thrown into the torture chamber until he paid his whole debt.

What was Jesus saying with this story? He was saying; “I have forgiven you all your sins. Now if someone sins against you, you must forgive them.”

And why has Jesus forgiven us? Because He loves us.

Think about all the sins that God has forgiven you. Not only the sins you committed today and yesterday but all the wrong things you ever did and will do. Isn’t it amazing that He loves you so much that He has forgiven you?

It’s when God’ love fills us to the point where it overflows to others that forgiveness happens. Love leads to forgiveness. We need to make a choice to love this person who hurt us because Jesus loves us more; and then we will be able to forgive.

Memory Verse for this Week:
“And it is he who will supply all your needs from his riches in glory, because of what Christ Jesus has done for us.” Philippians 4: verse 19 [The Living Bible]

Ruth