Forgive Debts
How does forgiving debts apply to discipleship?
As we pray the Lord’s Prayer today, let’s think about what it means for us to be forgiving people. Like actually forgiving people. “Becoming like” and “doing as” Jesus means that in our families, in our community group, in our church, at our jobs, in our neighborhoods, or wherever else we find ourselves - we are people who look at other people, not for the debts they owe us, but for how we can participate in restoration with them.
That might be hard, and I think it’s always hard, even for the little things that seem easy to forgive.
This is an example of the cross over of the three - “be with”, “become like”, and “do as.” When we forgive, we participate in the restorative work that Jesus began and has done on the cross. Forgiveness is something that Jesus did that we can “do as”. When we do this, we are participating with Jesus / “be with”. And the more we do this, the more we “become like” Jesus.