Forgiveness is meant to be a chain reaction. It has the potential to be a domino effect that unravels entire structures of sin and oppression. This is the uniqueness of forgiveness. It is purely gift. It is never earned or merited. It is always pure grace. And this is why it is so powerful. Truly I have never experienced anything more powerful than forgiveness. It has the ability to restore that which was previously broken. It has the power to bring to life that which was previously dead. It is a chain reaction of life-giving grace and love that spreads like wild fire. Consider the analogy of dominoes falling - one onto the other, sharing one same energy and yet never keeping it, always passing it along to the next in order to keep the movement alive.
But this fire can be extinguished in a moment's decision. The momentum of dominoes can be frozen with just one defective domino. That decision comes when we are offered the choice to forgive others as we have been forgiven. This is the crux of the Gospel. It is why we are taught to pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
It is a scandalous responsibility. It is a wonderful gift. What do we do with it?
Consider an adaptation of Jesus' parable from Matthew 18.
And Jesus said to them, "God's Kingdom community works like this: The federal government needed to settle accounts with the big businesses that controlled much of the country's economy. As the president began the settlement, the CEO of a large corporation who owed the government more than he could pay in 3 lifetimes came forward. Since he was not able to pay, the president ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
The CEO fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The president took pity on him, canceled the debt, bailed him out and let him go.
But, listen closely now...
When that CEO went out, he found one of his employees who owed him a some unpaid loans. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
The employee fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other employees saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and complained to the president about everything that had happened.
Then the president called the CEO back. 'You wicked person,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow employees just as I had on you?' In anger the president turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed."
Matthew 18:23-34
"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.
"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'
"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
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