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PARDON WITHOUT LIMITS

Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"   "No!" Jesus replied, "seventy times seven!^" – Matthew 18:21-22 (NLT)

      Peter thought he was being generous with his offer to forgive seven times. He knew that the Rabbis taught that a man must be willing to forgive his brother three times. Rabbi Jose ben Hanina said, "He who begs forgiveness from his neighbor must not do so more than three times." Rabbi Jose ben Jehuda said, "If a man commits an offense once, they forgive him; if he commits an offense a second time, they forgive him; if he commits an offense a third time, they forgive him; the fourth time they do not forgive." Rabbi Jesus said, “Forgive four hundred and ninety times!” In other words, pardon knows no limits. It cannot be defined by a number; it is to be expressed each and every time an offense is rendered.

      Easier said then done, right? How could Jesus make such an unrealistic demand on His followers? How dare He expect us to forgive indefinitely when we have been slighted so many times? The answer lies in Jesus’ own willingness to forgive us time and again. Every time we sin we come under the covering of His Cross. Each transgression is met with the grace of Jesus’ sacrifice. His own demonstration of limitless forgiveness gives Jesus the right to expect nothing less from His followers.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Lord, teach me the discipline of limitless pardon. Who do I need to forgive today?