Monday, June 5 My heavenly Father will also deal with you in the same way if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.​—Matt. 18:35.

[Poly Ester]

Monday, June 5

My heavenly Father will also deal with you in the same way if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.—Matt. 18:35.

 

Jesus gave an illustration about a king and his slave. The king canceled a large debt that the slave could never repay. Later, that same slave was unwilling to cancel the much smaller debt of his fellow slave. In the end, the king threw that merciless slave into prison. The slave’s actions harmed not only him but others too. First, he heartlessly harmed his fellow slave by having him “thrown into prison until he could pay back what he owed.” Second, he hurt other slaves who observed what he had done. When his “fellow slaves saw what had happened, they became greatly distressed.” (Matt. 18:30, 31) Similarly, our actions affect others. If someone wrongs us and we refuse to forgive him, what can happen? First, we hurt him by denying him our forgiveness, attention, and affection. Second, we make others in the congregation uncomfortable when they notice that we are not at peace with that person. w21.06 22 ¶11-12