What the steward in this week’s parable actually does is to forgive people. He cancels debts. He uses forgiveness as the coin of the realm.
Jesus himself seems to reinforce this point. In the Lord’s Prayer, the only conditional is this: Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. Our standing with God depends on our willingness to forgive.
Imagine what the world would look like if we were extravagant with forgiveness—especially for those wrongs we hold most closely to our hearts. The parable invites us to see forgiveness as a way of investing in the Kingdom of God.
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Good morning, Bishop! A very thoughtful lesson today. I never considered tying this reading in with the “before & after” but it has always intrigued me. I’ve read that the servant accomplished his goal by eliminating the portion of the debt that was actually interest being charged but camouflaged due to Jewish laws. I don’t know if that’s accurate.
I do find it difficult at times to let something go and forgive. But if feels right once done. Some people find it harder to be forgiven.
Kevin