17:1 And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
7 “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? 8 Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (ESV)
As I read this and meditate on it , my heart cries out to the Lord.
Lord please help me to remember who I am in relation to who You are. I never want to be the one who Satan uses to tempt someone to do wrong, especially the the little ones. Please keep my heart and my motives pure.
As I deal with people around me, Please let me 'Pay attention to myself".
Let me always watch and be aware of what I do and what I say. And when someone sins against me, let me remember Your words, "You must forgive him'. If a person says they repent, I must take them at their word and forgive. There is nothing else that I can do. I must forgive. There are no other judgments I am to make. I forgive, it is then all turned over to You.
I find it interesting that in this passage right after the command to forgive, the disciples ask for their faith to be increased. I believe that it takes great faith to forgive people and then embrace and love them. If I forgive like you do God, then I must forgive and forget as you do.
I find it interesting that in this passage right after the command to forgive, the disciples ask for their faith to be increased. I believe that it takes great faith to forgive people and then embrace and love them. If I forgive like you do God, then I must forgive and forget as you do.
To say" I forgive you, but I will not forget what you did", is really just another way to say,"I don't really forgive you at all'. So please increase my faith so that I can learn to forgive like you.
The last part of this verse Lord is really the key. It is reminding me that I am just a servant. I am to serve you and expect nothing from anyone simply because I am doing what you have called me to do. I must be humble and my motives must be right. I pray that I never do anything to be seen of men, or for a reward or pat on the back. May all I do simply flow out of gratitude for who You are and what You have so graciously done for me.
From beginning to end, this passage is about my heart's motives and choosing to love like Jesus or not. It really is as simple or hard as that. Whether it is simple or hard, is my choice.
From beginning to end, this passage is about my heart's motives and choosing to love like Jesus or not. It really is as simple or hard as that. Whether it is simple or hard, is my choice.
Today I will chase after your heart God, by how I love and forgive your children!
Chasing After Their Hearts,
Glenda Johnson
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