The Parable of The Unforgiving Servant Family Devotional

The Parable of The Unforgiving Servant

Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

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Story summary

In this family devotional from The Parable of The Unforgiving Servant, Bart struggles to pay his massive, overdue, debt to a local candy store before the shop owner forgives him. Just like the servant in the parable, he fails to show the same mercy to others.

Matthew 18:21-22

What Did We Learn?

Bart owed Mr. Sabertooth more money than he could ever pay, but Mr. Sabertooth forgave his entire debt.
Then Bart turned around and demanded that Folly pay him a much smaller debt. Bart had forgotten how much he had been forgiven.
Jesus told a story just like that. He said that we are like the servant who owed a debt he could never pay. Our sin is a debt we could never repay, but Jesus paid our debt by giving His life for us.
When we remember how much Jesus has forgiven us, we can forgive others when they hurt us or do something wrong.
We don't forgive because what they did doesn't matter. We forgive because Jesus has shown us such great mercy.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for forgiving our sins through Jesus.
Help us remember how much You have forgiven us so that we will be ready to forgive others.
When someone hurts us, help us show them the same mercy You have shown us.
In Jesus's Name we pray,
Amen.