Recreative Love

I read this story about a man who was unlike any other. He was a noble man of character and justice. The story goes like this:

In a time when he had every right to punish and torture his servant till the servant repay his debt, the man did the unthinkable and excused him; relieving him of all his debt. Now this was no small debt; it was a debt so large that by today’s standards it would be equivalent to 3 million dollars. You would think this servant, having just received an unthinkable and gracious gift would be forever changed, but this was not the case.

Unable to identify how life could be different in light of his new found freedom the wicked servant sought out and captured one his fellow servants who owed him some money. The fact that the total amount owed to the wicked servant was only a days wage did not stop him from grabbing him by the throat while demanding him to repay the debt immediately.

Needless to say the word got out. The noble man upon hearing this said to his slave, “You wicked man; I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?”

I love stories like this one, as well as many others like it that can be found in the Bible. This parable for the most part sheds light on our response to what God has already accomplished in our lives if we are Christ followers. It is because we have been completely forgiven that we are to forgive. In a sense, the love and forgiveness that has been given to each one of us is to be recreated, passed on, and shown to those around as we live our lives accordingly.