“Pray, then, in this way … ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors’” Matthew 6:12.
Given the option of receiving mercy or justice, we would likely prefer mercy. Justice is getting what we deserve, whereas mercy is graciously receiving what we do not deserve.
Does justice or mercy most characterize your relationships with others? Justice says don’t get mad; get even. Mercy subscribes to the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Justice rephrases it as, do unto others before they do unto you.
In moments of honest introspection, we can easily catalog a nearly endless list of wrongs for which we need forgiveness. Were we standing before the judge on the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15), we surely would desperately want mercy rather than justice if we were called to account for our long list of wrongs. And yet, according to the model prayer, that mercy would be tempered by the mercy shown to others.
Asking that our debts be forgiven would be far simpler if Jesus had not made our forgiveness conditional. If taken literally, forgiveness received would be as much as I have mentally offered to the traffic offender I most recently encountered while driving. This example alone is certainly cause for concern.
The debt that we could never pay, which has been totally and freely paid by Jesus, must ever motivate us to be merciful to others. To minimize our need for mercy is to minimize mercy shown. But, to ever live in awe of His abundant grace is powerful incentive.
There will be a need for forgiveness and mercy today. Someone will wrong us in word and/or deed. May the standard shown to us guide us in the measure given.
©Steve Taylor, 2022 --Used by permission
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