Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." ~ Matthew 18:21-2
I've always read these verses and naturally thought that this discussion referred to someone forgiving someone else for many different sins.
In other words, I forgive so-and-so for lying about this, being selfish about that, saying that cruel remark, or yelling... But, in all honesty, that is not that strenuous sometimes.
But this past week it hit me. What if what Jesus was really addressing was the much harder principle of forgiving someone of the same sin? The same sin meaning the one the person apologizes for (or not) but does it the next day and the next day. Over and over again. Those daily sins that keep resurfacing and make you doubt that they are truly sorry.
What if Jesus wants me to live that kind of forgiveness? The kind that keeps on coming, keeps on flowing. Forgiveness that never quits, never stops, never gives up.
Seventy-seven times.
