Monday, January 5, 2009

Forget Our Debtors

While saying the LORD's Prayer a few days ago in my morning prayer-time, my mind wandered for a moment (which happens now and then), and I heard myself saying, “forgive us our debts as we forget our debtors.”

A fortuitous slip of the tongue!

Like a New Yorker, “forget about it” – not a bad idea.

And to forget about “our debtors,” those who owe us something – and maybe they do – but it’s unlikely they’re ever going to pay up, and then the realization sets in, some debts can’t be paid – they’re too big, and even if someone tried, maybe it wouldn’t satisfy us! Maybe our need is too big.

“Forget about it” - good spiritual advice.

In other words, get on with life and count our blessings.

Maybe that’s what forgiveness is all about … letting something go and getting on with our life … thoughts and feelings no longer revolving around the recollections of being wronged by someone, or driven by an emotional need that can never be meet.

Forget about it!

Because life is so much bigger and better than all of that, and everyone of us deserves to be free from those nagging thoughts and irritating memories of what others said or did, or failed to say or do. Forget about it.

Forget about our debtors … and think a whole lot more about God!

1 comment:

K said...

I agree. I think that all too often we lose valuable friendships because of an unpaid debt. It's like that one Shakespeare line about how don't lend money to a friend because it'll cost you the loan and the friend. But of course, there are other debts in life as well.