Matthew 18:21-35

The parable of the unforgiving servant, who was forgiven himself, is a shocking story. The servant owed his master ten thousand talents, which a single talent was valued at twenty years worth of wages. So it’s absolutely amazing that the forgiveness that the servant experienced was not meaningful enough to share with his own servant who only owed him a day’s wage. He was unwilling to let go of what was owed to him, as well as unwilling to share what was given to him.

Thinking back to the master who forgave the servant. It was the willingness of the servant to payback what he owed that actually moved the master to simply forgive the debt entirely. This willingness to work was not only for his own pride but it was also to preserve the freedom of his wife and children from being sold into slavery. This willingness requires a focus to be held onto in order to drive the work and actions of life.

The master expected that his willingness to forgive the debt should of driven the life of the servant. But the servant’s willingness that stopped at his own blessing gave birth to his own selfish focus towards personal gain. Let the willingness of our work and next steps always lead to benefiting not just someone else, but as many people as we can.