Love that Forgives and Doesn’t Hold Grudges
Yesterday we spoke about covering other people’s debts – like Paul offered to do for Onesimus who clearly stole from Philemon, but was changed and needed a new start.
We can do this for others by physically taking on their expenses to help them. Sometimes God calls us to this type of radical generosity.
But put yourself in Philemon’s shoes for a moment. Paul was asking him to receive Onesimus back – the very man who had left him and stolen from him. And Paul was asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus and give him a clean slate.
Forgive Debts Gracefully
Now, Philemon was rightfully owed an apology and payback. But Paul is essentially saying to him: forego your rights, and welcome this man back. This is deep stuff. And I think we can all relate! Does somebody owe you? Perhaps someone owes you an apology? An explanation? Some help? Maybe somebody has hurt you or let you down and you’re just holding onto your feelings of resentment and bitterness, dying for the day they repay their debt to you?
Maybe Paul’s actions here can teach us a spiritual lesson. Instead of holding onto our grudges and demanding payback from those who owe us (spiritually speaking), maybe it’s time to forgive and write off the debt.
Jesus told a story about this. He speaks of a man who couldn’t pay back the king what he owed, and so he pleaded with the king for mercy and the king graciously wrote off his debts. But then that same man went out and found somebody who owed him a small amount and had him thrown into prison. When the king found out, he was furious and reinstated the man’s debt and threw him into jail.
Extend Grace Freely
How many of us do this? We want God’s forgiveness, which is unearned, but we want others to payback before we forgive them. We want them to come to us first!
Perhaps today is the day to bury the hatchet. To write off the debt. To give a clean slate. To forgive as God forgave you.
Paul called Philemon to it. And today, Jesus calls you and I to it. Write off the debts and show the same grace God showed you. Not only will the one who owes you be blessed, but your own heart will be blessed as you learn to forgive as you’ve been forgiven.
