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Enjoy Life, Enjoy God


Dale Patterson

RECIPROCITY

February 26, 2013

Beware when your faith is so individualistic, and a matter just between you and Jesus, that you forget that the faith of Christ, following Christ, is entirely a social matter. 

 
"Then the master called the servant in.  'You wicked servant,' he said,'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'"
                                                --Matthew 18:32,33 TNIV
 
Jesus tells the story of the Wicked Servant who owed his master millions, and begged more time.  Not only did he get more time, but the master cancelled the entire debt.  Wow, pretty cool, huh?  But what did the servant do with the miraculous new start and forgiveness?  The first person he meets, who owes him a few bucks, the servant beats the tar out of the guy, attempting to collect the meager debt.  Problem is, the forgiving master saw it all.

Reciprocity.  To be forgiven is to be forgiving.  I suppose all of us like a fresh start, new life, forgiveness, but Jesus says, what we experience, we are to do likewise unto others.  What a concept!  
 
Joyfully,
 
Dale Patterson