"After hearing again and again that Jesus told his followers to forgive 70 x 7 (Matthew18:21-22), I finally pulled out my calculator one day. Unless my calculations are off, that's 490 times--and the highest I've ever gotten in practicing forgiveness was 3! If I still have 487 more times to forgive someone for my grievances against him or her, don't you think Jesus had a pretty good handle on how deep hurt can run . . . ?"
Kevin Leman
What Your Childhood Memories Say About You
Tyndale 2007
p144
Boy, I have to tell you, once I got past the fact that Leman had to use a calculator, I said, "That's a new twist; a little to the right, I think. And I love it!" I don't think I will ever see those well-known verses quite the same.
Jesus understands. He understands! Tell me the "picture" of that helps you as well.
Finishing Leman's quote helps still more. " . . . don't you think Jesus had a pretty good handle on how deep hurt can run and how many times we mess up in our relationships?
In other words, we ALL mess up. It's a little bit of the log and splinter thing. Yes, I'm hurt so deep that only God can reach and heal -- and He does. But, I'm not free of responsibility. I hurt others--maybe not the same ones who hurt me, but it's likely that someone is struggling to forgive me too.
Would love to hear your thoughts on 70x7.
Growing to Love His Word More Every Day,
Lonnie
