"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Jesus meant money debts, real debts in a world where falling into debt was a serious matter; failure to pay a debt could lead to borrowing at exorbitant interest, followed by loss of property - the house one lived in and the small plot of land whose produce fed the family. It could mean selling one's children or even oneself into slavery, going to prison, or escaping into the wilderness/desert to eke out existence as a bandit.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray for God to forgive debts, real and metaphorical, but only to the extent that they forgave debts owed to them. He told a parable about a slave whose master forgave a debt of 10,000 talents - a huge amount. But this same slave sent a fellow slave to prison for failing to pay a small debt. The master so angry that he handed over the unforgiving slave to be tortured until he repaid his entire debt. ( Matthew 18:18-34.)

Perhaps we should remember Jesus' warning: "For if you forgive the trespasses of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ( Matthew 6: 14-15.)

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 3, 2021