What is the most God-like thing you can do? It may be forgiving others when they sin against us.

What are the limits to our forgiveness? When can we reasonably call a halt to the grant of forgiveness? The Apostle Peter pondered this very question. He asked it. Jesus answered it. You can find this snippet of conversation in Matthew 18:21 and 22:

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

We can count on other people’s sins against us. Can they count on a God-like response from us?

One of the proverbs Solomon collected says this:

Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Message paraphrases this verse so delightfully:

Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget.

The Christian Standard Bible puts it this way:

A person’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.

When we pray for God’s Kingdom to come and for his will to be done, we align ourselves with God’s grace and mercy, with his forgiving nature.

Life is so much more peaceful when we live to forgive. Forgiveness uncomplicates relationships. Forgiveness restores our souls, our families, our workplaces, our communities. Forgiveness, like self-discipline, is a gift we give ourselves.

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I will live to forgive.

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Our Father, as you have forgiven me so extravagantly, empower me to forgive others. I want to become hard to offend. I want to master my emotions. I want to overlook wrongs. I want to hold my tongue. I want to forgive and forget. I want to demonstrate patience. I want to overlook offenses. Give me the strength to live this kind of uncomplicated life. Amen.