Jesus + NothingSample

DEBT, FORGIVENESS & LOVE

Today, our relationship with debt is quite intriguing. Instead of shying away from it, we tend to figure out how much debt feels manageable for us. In my early 20s, I frequently used my credit card, planning to pay off the balance when payday rolled around. Over time, though, those card swipes started to outpace my paychecks, leading me to find myself juggling thousands of dollars in debt for things that I no longer valued.

Our relationship with sin can often feel much like this. Sin frequently tricks us into thinking that just a little won’t be so bad. Instead of avoiding sin altogether, we ask ourselves how much sin we can manage. And that’s how sin deceives us. It convinces us that there is an amount of sin that is okay and manageable as long as we don’t go too far, but in the end, it will leave us broken and lost.

When Jesus tells Simon the story of the two people in debt, he makes a statement that can easily be missed. He tells Simon that there are two men in debt. One man owes fifty silver coins, and the other owes five hundred silver coins. A silver coin is equivalent to one day's wage. So one man owes ten weeks' worth of work, while the other owes one hundred weeks' worth of work. When we hear that, it is easy to think that one of those debts feels more manageable, but Jesus tells us otherwise. He says that neither man was able to repay his debt, and because of that, the debt was forgiven.

The wages(debt) of our sin is death. The reality is that none of us can repay the debt we owe, which is why Jesus came. Through Jesus’ story, we understand that when we realize the magnitude of the debt we have been forgiven, we love that much more. Be careful not to flip the order of these in your heart. We don’t love Jesus so we can be forgiven, we seek Jesus first, and because of his forgiveness, we are able to love.

So, we can answer the question of how much we have been forgiven… 50 or 500—but the reality is that no matter where your number falls, you would never have been able to repay it. So today, as you read and reflect on the scripture and spend time with the Lord in prayer, remember to show gratitude and thankfulness toward Him. Shower Him with your love and adoration because He is worthy of our worship.