October 16, 2012
A Multiplied Effect
“One pardons in the degree that one loves.”
- La Rochefoucauld
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
Luke 17:3-4
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Matthew 18:21-22
Math is not a favorite subject for a lot of people: especially God’s math when it is applies to the idea of forgiveness towards others.
It would appear that God’s expectation is that we forgive every time we are asked to and in some cases even when we aren’t asked. God has a lot more patience than the majority of us have. Yet, if we desire to do our best for Him: this is one of the areas of obedience we must walk in too.
Forgiving someone seven times in one day for the exact same offense seems to be unfathomable to many of us: for surely if the person was really sorry for what they had done they would not do the same thing over and over: or would they?
Have you ever been around some one who seemed to be annoyed, just because you were in their presence: breathing the same air that they are? Or have you ever known someone who gave the impression that they were just put out with you because you had the audacity to first exist, but then to bring your existence into their world? And yet even if there seems to be no real valid reason; other than temperament or predisposition: we still need to forgive a person who treats us that way, over and over, even if they don’t ask to be forgiven.
And of course there are many things which do require forgiveness that are overt and tangibly real: and yes, we are to forgive those things too.
It would seem like when it comes to the concept of forgiveness God is a proponent of the power of multiplication.
Aren’t you glad He applies the same standards to us that He requires us to apply towards each other?
If you want to be pleasing to God today; get ready to make your forgiveness factor a multiplier to be applied to the multiplicand of others actions towards you to produce a product that will make God smile.
Today’s Prayer
Father, help me to multiply my efforts: to compound my compassions: to add to them some mercy and grace and may I then find myself being as forgiving as you want me to be and as forgiving as your willing to be with me.
“Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
And precious silver
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Refiner’s fire
My hearts one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for You my Master
Ready to do your will.“
- Lyrics from ‘Refiner’s Fire’ by Brian Doerksen
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