Jesus Talks On Forgiveness
Then Peter came up, and said to Jesus:
“Master, how often am I to forgive my Brother when he wrongs me? As many as seven times?
But Jesus answered:
“Not seven times, but ‘seventy times seven.’ And therefore the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he had begun to do so, one of them was brought to him who owed him six million pounds; and, as he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold towards the payment of the debt, together with his wife, and his children, and everything that he had. Thereupon the servant threw himself down on the ground before him and said ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ The master was moved with compassion; and be let him go, and forgave him the debt But, on going out, that same servant came upon one of his fellow-servants who owed him ten pounds. Seizing him by the throat, he said ‘Pay what you owe me.’ Thereupon his fellowservant threw himself on the ground, and begged for mercy. ‘Have patience with me,’ he said, ‘and I will pay you.’ But the other would not, but went and put him in prison till he should pay his debt. When his fellow-servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and went to their master and laid the whole matter before him. Upon that the master sent for the servant, and said to him ‘You wicked servant! When you begged me for mercy, I forgave you the whole of that debt. Ought not you, also, to have shown mercy to your fellow-servant, just as I have showed mercy to you?’ Then his master, in anger, handed him over to the jailers, until he should pay the whole of bis debt. So, also, will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each one of you forgives his Brother from his heart.”
—Matthew.
Gyges’ Ring
Gyges, a shepherd and servant of the King of Lydia, found a gold ring which had the remarkable property of making its wearer visible when he turned the collet one way, and invisible when he turned it the other way. What should we do if we had such a ring? We could do anything we pleased and no one would be the wiser. We could become invisible, out of the reach of external consequences, the instant our deed was done. Would we, with such a ring on our finger, stand fast in righteousness?
—William DeWitt Hyde.