Day 37 - Called to Forgive

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."  Matthew 18:21-22

Forgiveness is no easy thing for humans.  We love to keep records of wrongs done against us.  But God is asking us to forgive...to forgive again...then, when you've forgiven, forgive again.  What Jesus is saying in these words is not how many times up to an exact number that we are to forgive...He is saying, "Don't keep count." 

The same forgivenss that was extened to me when I came to the cross of Calvary is the same forgiveness I am to extend to others.  I don't know about you, but when I came to Christ, I asked Him to forgive me of EVERYTHING!  That means, I am to forgive EVERYTHING! 

I can't change what's happened in the past, but I can change how I act and respond in the future. 

I don't need to be a doormat and say, "It's ok." everytime I've been wronged, but I do need to have an attitude of love and mercy (the same attitude Christ had for me) extended to those who've wronged me.

I take today's DARE to be a person who forgives people, no matter how great their sin or how hard their heart.  And, to be a person who asks for forgiveness when I have wronged someone.