FORGIVE FROM YOUR HEART

SHE was likely a prostitute, not someone you would expect to find in the home of a religious person. If some were shocked to see her there, what she did was more shocking. She approached the man with the highest morals and displayed her appreciation for his works, washing his feet with her tears and drying them with her hair.

That man, Jesus, was not repelled by this woman, "known in the city to be a sinner." But Simon the Pharisee, whose home it was, was concerned that she was a sinner. Jesus responded by telling of two men in debt to a lender. One owed a lot-about two year's wages for a laborer. The other owed a tenth of that-less than three months' wages. When neither could repay, the lender "freely forgave them both." Clearly, the one forgiven more had greater reason to respond in love. After tying in the woman's kind act, Jesus added the principle: "He who is forgiven little, loves little." Then he told her: "Your sins are forgiven." -Luke 7:36-48.

Ask yourself, 'Had I been that woman or if I were in a similar situation and mercy was shown me, would I then be harshly unforgiving toward others? You might answer, 'Certainly not!' Still, do you truly believe that you are inclined to forgive? Is that your basic nature? have you often done so readily, and would others describe you as being forgiving? Let us see why each of us ought to give this our frank, introspective attention.

Next time: Forgiveness Needed-And Shown to Us

Watchtower, 1999