Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21-22

 How easy is it for you to forgive someone? One time minor offenses may come easy, but repeated offenses of all severities can and oftentimes make it difficult to forgive, especially when their actions hurt you deeply. Peter probably thought he was pretty gracious when he asked Jesus if he should forgive someone up to 7 times, yet Jesus really put Peter to the test, instructing him to forgive an offender 70 times 7. Do the math and it comes up to 490 times. Whew, that’s a lot of forgiving.

 Just for a moment, lets breakdown the word forgive; “for” and “give” are two words in of themselves, but the two have meaning and purpose. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the word “for” is used as a function word to indicate purpose. “Give” simply is yielding to another. When you forgive someone, you have a purpose in your action and giving that person a second chance, and a third chance and on and on. When someone offends you, humbly consider it an opportunity to express God’s love to them through the act of forgiveness. In essence, forgiveness is the backbone of Jesus Christ’s love for mankind. That same love offers unlimited forgiveness of your offenses.

 If there is someone in your life who you feel doesn’t deserve your forgiveness, let the Spirit of God transform your heart into the heart of Christ so you can give them unlimited opportunities to get it right, just as Jesus has done for you! God bless!