This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.
Matthew 18:35 NIV
This verse comes at the end of Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant. This servant had been forgiven an outstanding debt but was unwilling to forgive another servant who owed him a much lesser amount. Consequently, the master of the two servants revoked his forgiveness of the unmerciful servant who was himself unwilling to forgive others.
How important is it that I forgive others? I do believe we need to take Jesus’ words here very seriously. Forgiveness is not an optional activity on my part. If I am unwilling to forgive the offenses of people around me, especially other believers, I should not expect God to forgive the great debt I owe him. Forgive your brothers or sisters who have hurt or wronged you. Not just when they ask for forgiveness. But even when they persist in their actions that are hurting or offending you. Indeed, that is hard to do. But it is the way of love we have been called to live. Fortunately, we do not have to do this on our own. We have God’s Spirit to help us.
