I (Luke) just got married this past June to my beautiful wife Caitlin. We have a little apartment that we call home and are truly content with the little we have. I have always been someone who learns from others. Growing up, I looked up to my dad and learned as much as I could by watching. As I have grown into adulthood, I’ve started to learn from people in my field of work. I enjoy hearing their story and really talking to them about life and work.
“What’s your goal?” you might ask. My goal is to get ahead of the curve. I don’t want to hit the speed bumps that others have hit because I am a firm believer in learning from mistakes, even if I didn’t make the mistakes myself.
Now, let’s talk about marriage. I don’t think I had any way to fully prepare for the refining process that marriage truly brings into your life. In the past 7 months, I have learned so much about how broken I am as a human being. Before marriage, I was a big shot; I was confident and people knew it. There was no one in my life to keep me in line, and as I went through adulthood, I started to create these habits that stuck with me. Some were good, but most were bad. As the first few months of marriage went by, those “habits” came out in plain sight, and boy was that not fun. I felt “dirty.” The great news was that my wife showed me grace and forgave me countless times. Jesus has done that too throughout my life, but it’s now just becoming more visible to me.
Matthew 18 has a parable in it that talks about forgiveness. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant reads:
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[g] 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[h] 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant[i] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[j] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[k] until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
This parable shows the power of forgiveness that we can have in each of our daily lives, and especially in our marriages.
Carefully read this story. The servant pleads for mercy from the king, and the king finds it in his heart to forgive the servant of all of his debt and his baggage. Everything he owes to the king is gone in an INSTANT!
You might be able to relate to this better. Think about if someone came to you and paid your house off or even your car off. How would that feel? No more mortgage payments… no more car payments.
You’d feel free, right?
Now, think of that from a spiritual aspect. In your life, what is your baggage and what are the things you are holding on to? God is ready to take those from you; all you need to do is ask. Ask for forgiveness for your sins, and I promise you, God will be happy to take that baggage from you.
Remember, this street goes both ways. You need to remember whose baggage you can take in your life. Who have you been holding back from forgiving? Who has done that one hateful deed that you just can’t seem to forgive? It’s in THOSE times you need to remember that our Holy Father chooses to forgive us of all our hateful or sinful actions. Why can’t we do the same for our brother or sister?
Forgiveness is freeing. Remember that as you go about your Thursday!