Exhortation and Repentance · Commitment and Service
Have We Considered How Many Talents We Owed?
3 min read, approximately
“And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not [wherewith] to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.” (Matthew 18:24-27)
Let us pause for a moment in our daily rush and think: Do we know how much the Lord has forgiven us? Do we remember the transformation the Lord has brought about in our lives? Are we aware that there was no way we could repay our debt to the Lord? Today I would like to walk you through a simple calculation… We know that a denarius was the usual pay for a day’s work. According to research, however, a talent was worth approximately 6,000 denarii—six thousand days of work. It is astonishing that in this story from the Word, the master forgives a debt of 10,000 talents! Let us multiply: 10,000 talents times 6,000 denarii = 60,000,000 denarii. This man owed his master 60 million days of work! Have we considered the debt that our Lord Jesus Christ forgave us? When we do not understand the price or recognize what Jesus Christ has done for us, it is easy to judge, easy to criticize, easy to point an accusing finger and hurt others, easy to offend:
“But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest. So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.” (Matthew 18:28-30)
Please remember: nothing anyone does to us will ever be greater than what we have done to the Master, who had to pay for our sins with his blood! Has someone wronged us? Let us forgive them. Have we wronged someone? Let us approach them and ask for forgiveness. As I said at the beginning, let us pause amid our busyness, reflect on what the Lord has done for us, and acknowledge how beautiful and great he is, and how immense his grace and mercy toward us have been! With this in mind, let us be willing to forgive, lift others up, help, and comfort as useful instruments in the Lord’s hands. Have we considered how many talents we owed?
May God continue to bless you
and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!
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