Debts and Debtors – 1 May 2008

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:12-15 [NIV]

Jesus taught the disciples (and that includes us!) how to pray following his model prayer. Our attitude to the sins of others is the mirror God holds up in front of us when we ask his forgiveness. We have a lot of debts (sins) – but have we forgiven our debtors (those who sinned against us)? If we want forgiveness from God, we better take note!

If we are honest, patient and kind hearted enough to truly forgive those who have wronged us – then our hearts are not in a bad shape. However, if we are deceitful, impatient and grumpy enough to deny people forgiveness – how can we expect mercy from God?

The measure we use in judging others is the one God will use to judge us:

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Matthew 7:3-5 [NIV]

Lord we ask you to take away the planks in our eyes to improve our vision. Amen