Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:21-35
God’s forgiveness and grace is bigger than anything wrong you’ve ever done or will do.
Rick Warren
Car accidents happen. Most of them are fender benders. Perhaps you can remember when you were involved in an accident. Although you were not injured, you probably worried about how this little dust-up would affect your insurance rates.
These days, however, the outcome might surprise you. Instead of a hefty insurance raise, you might get a note from your insurance company that goes something like this: “Gee, we’re sorry you had an accident. Well, they do happen. No worries, though. We’re keeping your premium the same. Just be more careful next time.”
Good news? You bet.
That’s exactly what many auto insurance companies are doing these days. It’s called “accident forgiveness” and it’s the hottest marketing tool in the industry. If you have a new policy or a clean driving record for an extended period before any “at-fault” accident (meaning that you hit someone or something and not vice versa), that fender bender probably won’t cost you a big hit on your insurance bill. As far as they’re concerned, it never happened — at least this once.
Isn’t it a relief — good news — to get forgiveness when we probably don’t deserve it? The gospel reading for today is about forgiveness. If a big, impersonal insurance company can offer grace, imagine what kind of grace God offers when we have a moral crash?
Jesus says that just as we have been offered accident forgiveness, we should also extend such forgiveness to others who “bump into us.” Can we forgive?
—Timothy Merrill
Prayer:
Loving and gracious God, thank you for your unmerited grace and mercy. May I be so gracious to those around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
