Jamey's Newsletter: Sunday, January 14, 2024
Saint Peter asks, "Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?" (Matthew 18: 21).
Peter says, "I only have so much time, energy, and forgiveness to give. What are the limits? Where do I draw the line in the sand and say, 'This is it! No more! I am done!'"
It is a fair question. And seven seems generous. Seven seems fair. And isn't what we are going for fair?
Jesus says, "Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy times" (Matthew 18:22). Seven is fair. Seventy is ridiculous. Seven is generous. Seventy is reckless. Seven is acceptable. Seventy is absurd.
Jesus is like, let's see if we can make this even more radical, and he tells a story, "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants," Jesus begins his story. The first slave has an enormous amount of debt. He owes 150,000 years of back labor. An impossible amount to pay off. He begs for mercy. He gets mercy.
The forgiven slave goes to one of his fellow slaves and demands what is owed. He goes from being a forgiven servant to being a debt collector. Mercy is asked. He refuses to show it.
Word returns to the merciful king, and now his mercy runs out. The gracious king turns into a vengeful judge.
Did you notice what made the king turn so quickly? He asks, "Shouldn't you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you" (Matthew 18: 33)?
The forgiven servant refuses to forgive. The one shown mercy denies mercy. The one given a second chance offers no chance.
We learn that forgiveness has limits, but in God's economy, the limits are the ones we choose to place on it ourselves.
Jamey
(Music performed by the Modern Worship Team of Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Georgia)
Weekly Prayer
Gracious God, Grant us the courage to surrender our right to get even, to replace bitterness with compassion, and to redefine our relationships not by past hurts but by Your healing love. Amen.
Meme of the Week
Dad Jokes
My friend was showing me his tool shed and pointed to a ladder. “That's my stepladder,” he said. "I never knew my real ladder.”
What's the difference between a well-dressed man on a unicycle and a poorly dressed man on a bicycle? Attire!
Wisdom Nugget: Learn to distinguish between what is in your control and what is not - and focus on what is in your control.
A Question to Consider: What's something you've always wanted to try but haven't yet? What weekly (daily) steps can you take to see it happen in 2024?
Photo Taken By Me
Book I am Reading
Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
Videos I watched
Clip: Mister Rogers Neighborhood w/ Jeff Erlanger
The Secret to Getting Anything You Want in Life given by Jennifer Cohen | Jen Cohen | TEDxBuckhead
Podcast I listened to
Founding Interesting on Social Media
A horse sees grass for first time
Articles I found interesting:
Nick Saban: Sympathy for the Devil (2013 article)
What Countries Are the Most Religious? Which Ones Are The Least?
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Happening around North Georgia
Monday, January 15 / March - Noon at Peach State Bank & Program - 1:30 pm at the Butler Center (Click here for Butler Center info and Directions)
You’re invited to be part of our community’s King Day Celebration on Monday, January 15th. The march will begin at noon at Peach State Bank, and the program will be held at the Butler Center at 1:30 pm. Our special guest speaker will be Kyndra Cohen, Director of the Butler Center.
Weekly Blessing and/or Quotes
Don’t worry about being the most interesting person in the room. Try to be the most interested in others in the room. Ask questions. Be curious.
May peace and joy find their way to your heart, and may life's challenges be met with courage and resilience.