What a Chump! Matthew 18:21-35

Matthew 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and wanted to know how many times he should forgive someone who wronged him. Jesus' answer of 144 times probably surprised Peter greatly. But, Jesus goes on to share a parable with him, which illustrates his point. A master approached a servant who owed him 10,000 talents. Keep in mind a talent was equal to about twenty years worth of wages. Prior to be taken away and being sold (him and his family) into slavery, the man begged for his and his family's life. The master, out of pity for him, forgave the debt and released the servant and his family. 

A very short time elapsed when the servant saw someone on the streets who owned him money. The debt owed the servant totaled to be around a 100 denarii (about a day's wage). Ok. Now you see the extremity and the polarization of the two debts. The servant did not forgive this man who owed him 100 denarii as well as had him thrown into prison, where he should have been. When other servants caught wind this had happened, they ran and told the master who had forgiven this servant's massive amount of debt. 

The bible says that the master summoned this wicked ungrateful servant and said, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?" In the end the master threw this wicked servant in prison until he could pay all his debt. Keep in mind, that this debt owed the master would have been impossible to pay back.

In reading this story, obviously we see what a chump and a hypocrite this servant was. But in reality we, including myself, find ourselves doing the same. 

The major thrust of this passage is: We need to be extremely careful not to succumb in failing to show the mercy and grace to others, which God has bountifully shown to us. As believers we need to constantly remind ourselves how gracious and merciful God has been to us. Therefore, we need to make sure we extend that same grace and mercy to others around us, even if we feel they do not deserve it. Today and the rest of this week, let us go out of our way to extend grace and mercy to those around us, even those that may not necessarily deserve it. This is the way of the Master!