OUR DAILY BREAD : BUMPER CARS

[cimi]

March 6
Thursday


BUMPER CARS

READ:
Matthew 18:23-35
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Lord, how often shall
my brother sin against
me, and I forgive him?
Up to seven times?
__Matthew 18:21
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Life is a lot like "bumper cars" at an amusement park. You get in your car, knowing that you will get hit...you just don't know how hard. And when you get hit, you step on the gas pedal, chase the one who has hit you, and hope to bump that person harder than they have bumped you.

That may be a fun strategy for bumper cars, but it's a terrible strategy for life. When you get bumped in life, bumping back only escalates matters and in the end everyone suffers damage.

Jesus had a better strategy: Forgive those who have "bumped" us. Like Peter, we may wonder how many times we have to forgive. When Peter asked Jesus, "Up to seven times?" Jesus answered "Up to seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:21-22). In other words, there are no limits to grace. We should always extend a spirit of forgiveness. Why? In the story of the forgiving master, Jesus explained that we forgive not because our offenders deserve it but because we've been forgiven. He says, "I forgave you...because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?" (vv.32-33).

Since we are among those who've been forgiven much, let's stop the damage and share that blessing with others.
__Joe Stowell

```````Lord, remind us of how deeply we have offended You`````````
``````````and how often You have extended the grace of````````````
```````forgiveness to us. Teach us to forgive others and to trust```````
``````````````You to deal with those who sin against us.`````````````
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Forgiveness is God's grace in action through us.

****************Today's Bible Reading __ Matthew 18:23-35****************

23 Therefore the kingdom of
heaven is like a certain king
who wanted to settle accounts
with his servants. 24 And...
one was brought to him who
owed him ten thousand
talents. 25 But as he was not
able to pay, his master
commanded that he be sold,
with his wife and children
and all that he had....

26 The servant therefore fell
down before him, saying,
"Master, have patience with
me, and I will pay you all."

27 Then the master...was
moved with compassion,
released him, and forgave
him the debt. 28 But that
servant went out and found
one of his fellow servants
who owed him a hundred
denarii; and he laid hands on
him..., saying, "Pay me
what you owe!"

29 So his fellow servant fell
down at his feet and begged
him,... "Have patience with
me, and I will pay you all."

30 And he would not, but
went and threw him into
prison.... 31 So when his
fellow servants saw what had
been done, they were very
grieved.... 32 Then his
master... said to him, "You
wicked servant! I forgave
you all that debt because you
begged me. 33 Should you not
also have had compassion on
your fellow servant, just as I
had pity on you?" 34 And his
master was angry, and
delivered him to the torturers
until he should pay all that
was due to hin.

35 So My heavenly Father
also will do to you if each of
you, from his heart, does not
forgive his brother his
trespasses.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The parable in today's reading hinges on the magnitude of the
debt owed. The man forgiven by the king owed 10,000 talents__
an enormous amount, in the millions of dollars. By contrast, the
forgiven man didd not forgive another whose debt (100 denarii) was
microscopic by comparison.