"Forgiven a lot or a little?!"

Have you ever had to show kindness to someone you really didn't like? Have you ever shown mercy on someone who gave you none? I was recently reminded of how hard it is to be loving to people who have shown you no love, but expect love from you. Unfortunately, I remember WAY too many people that have done me wrong and nowadays act like nothing ever happened. Some have apologized, but most just pretend, don't care or perhaps didn't realize how much damage they have done to me or my family.

It's hard to forgive and just go on with things like nothing ever happened! At the same time, I know that I have wronged so many and they have forgiven me. Most of my friends treat me way better than I deserve to be treated!

In the end, I have been brought to my knees and when I beg Jesus for forgiveness, I'm reminded "...forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us..." Recently, God has been challenging me a lot from His word with this principle of "forgiven little loves little..." I some times respond like the Pharisee "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled" (Luke 7). As if I wasn't forgiven too much! My debt was HUGE and God forgave me!

I recently saw a video of Jeff Walling. He was doing a skit as if he was Matthew Jesus' disciple. He said 2 phrases that have stuck in my head since I saw it. The idea behind both is that we often PRETEND that we don't really have much sin or much to be forgiven of, but we, every last one of us, have been forgiven of A LOT!!!

1. Why would you need a MESSiah if you don't have a MESS?
2. How can you take a MESSage unless you have a MESS?

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6