Breaking the Word

 Then Peter approaching asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.  Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan…

 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."  (Mt 18:21-35)

 

 

Forgiveness should become a habit for the follower of Jesus. Any action done seven times seventy times will become a habit. When this is done for everyone who sins against then naturally it becomes a habit and more than a habit. It would be almost like breathing. That is why it is said that forgiveness is the only distinguishing mark of the follower of Jesus.

 

But what we experience in the world is just the opposite. Forgiveness is the rare practice among men. They are ready to receive forgiveness from the others but by themselves they seldom forgive others. Even a minimum amount of loan (equal to one day’s wage) the man is not willing to forgive. Spirit of forgiveness seem to be rarest quality of man.

 

God makes use of the same measure in forgiving men of their sins. God’s forgiveness depends on man’s readiness and forgiveness of one another. Begging, pleading, and being patient do not gain forgiveness. Forgiving is the only way to receive forgiveness.

And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. (Lk 4:24-30)

 

 

Situations are same everywhere and for everyone. Whether you are in Israel, the Promised Land given by God to the chosen people, or in Sidon, the pagan world, the famine spreads. There is no land that is protected from natural calamities. Whether you are an Israelite, the descendant of Abraham and Jacob, or Naaman, a pagan from Syria, the disease attacks. No one is so special as to be protected from the diseases of the world. All are equal and every place is the same.

 

Prophets are sent by God or chosen by God as the Bible presents. The arrival of the prophets and the activities of the prophets are special. The place where the prophets do their work or the people to who they minister are special and they are spoken by God.   Here Sidon and Naaman become important because the activity and presence of the prophets.

 

Prophets reveal God’s presence and they do the ministry of God. Jesus has come into the world to do prophetic ministry in fact more than the prophetic ministry. People who see him as a prophet see in him the role played by the prophet and the in turn treat him so. Prophet is not accepted by his own people but he is successful in a foreign land among strangers.