Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” (Matthew 18:21)
I will dare to say that inherently, the knack to do the bare minimum is more prevalent in us than the wherewithal to exceed expectations. Tragically, we tend towards learning to do just enough to get by.
Look at Peter in the above verse. Peter has a willingness to do the right thing but wants to do it to the extent that would be acceptable... or we can simply say that Peter was asking how much of himself did he need to exert to influence forgiveness or again what is the minimum limit.
"Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" (Matthew 18:22)
Jesus instructs Peter and us today that we are to go beyond the bare minimum in our forgiveness, in our love for one another, in our intolerance towards chemical dependency and in our extending care for a brother or sister who is in need.
Today, know that God has forgiven you to the uttermost; know that Christ died a horrific death on a cross for you and that The Holy Spirit hasn't just been given for times of great distress but He lives in you! All of heaven: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit has given each one of us infinite love for all eternity; infinite forgiveness; infinite hope; and infinite possibilities.
The only bare minimum that you need to give is your simple "Yes" to receive Him as your Lord and Savior. After your minimum, His promise to you is ABUNDANCE! Amen.
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