Settling out of court
This week's bit of brevity is on Luke 12:58-59:
Jesus is saying a bunch of different things in this quote. He's talking about forgiving and being forgiveable. He doesn't mention who is taking whom to the magistrate at first. It's quite possible it could be us dragging the adversary, only to get taken to court ourselves. He's talking to the religious crowds, who are us, and religious crowds tend to end up self-righteous.
Our lives are a journey to the final judgement, much like the journey with the adversary to the magistrate. The danger is the same as the danger for the person going to court. If you are not aware of the warrant out for your arrest, or those back parking tickets you haven't paid, or that year you thought you filed your taxes, but forgot to mail the forms, you're looking at an ugly surprise when you show up! If you only see what the other person owes you, you'll strut confidently into your own chains.
The self-righteous person only sees the sins of others. They are confident that they can walk into the final judgement as-is, and that the only people getting charged will be the people they don't like. They want "justice" because they think it will come out in their favour. They push others to pay their debts, and call out to God to punish the sinners, but they are unaware that they have debts of their own. You can't believe in God's grace for your sins but deny its existence for others. Either "we" are forgiven, or no Christian is.
God calls us to settle with our adversaries while we're still on the journey. Once we get to the courthouse, it'll be too late. When you settle out of court, you're relating to your adversary as a fellow human being. He's not a pest you're dealing with, or just some problem. You're relating to him, and deciding not to prosecute him. You're not saying he didn't hurt you, or that his actions didn't cost you something. You're not saying you like him and want to be best friends. All you're saying is that you're not going to press charges. You're not calling the cops, and he won't be hearing from your lawyer. He's free to go. You can both go your separate ways.
The same goes when you're the person being dragged to court. If someone has something against you, try to get it taken care of now. Do what you can to pay your debt. Ask for mercy. Do what you can to help him to forgive you. Don't make it difficult by throwing your nose in the air and acting like his forgiveness is owed to you as a right. That cheapens the grace that cost God a lot. When it's you dragging someone along, is grace cheap then? Cut a deal. Maybe he'll love like God loves and let you off for free. But even if not, and he asks only a quarter of your debt to him, isn't that a good price for forgiveness? Jesus paid everything for ours.
We're all brothers and sisters before God. There should be no double standards among us regarding sin and forgiveness. There's no "When I call out your sin, I'm challenging you, but when you call out mine, you're judging me." There's no "Well, you're a sinner and I'm forgiven." No such thing as "I've done some bad things, but nothing like what you've done." I'm sure Jesus could say the same to us. If you have the opportunity to negotiate a settlement with someone who would be against you otherwise, then do it! Practice love and forgiveness. You can't model Christ's character by refusing to even dip your toe into the experience that defines him.
Use your time on earth to make peace, forgive debts, and help others to do the same.
"As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
Jesus is saying a bunch of different things in this quote. He's talking about forgiving and being forgiveable. He doesn't mention who is taking whom to the magistrate at first. It's quite possible it could be us dragging the adversary, only to get taken to court ourselves. He's talking to the religious crowds, who are us, and religious crowds tend to end up self-righteous.
Our lives are a journey to the final judgement, much like the journey with the adversary to the magistrate. The danger is the same as the danger for the person going to court. If you are not aware of the warrant out for your arrest, or those back parking tickets you haven't paid, or that year you thought you filed your taxes, but forgot to mail the forms, you're looking at an ugly surprise when you show up! If you only see what the other person owes you, you'll strut confidently into your own chains.
The self-righteous person only sees the sins of others. They are confident that they can walk into the final judgement as-is, and that the only people getting charged will be the people they don't like. They want "justice" because they think it will come out in their favour. They push others to pay their debts, and call out to God to punish the sinners, but they are unaware that they have debts of their own. You can't believe in God's grace for your sins but deny its existence for others. Either "we" are forgiven, or no Christian is.
God calls us to settle with our adversaries while we're still on the journey. Once we get to the courthouse, it'll be too late. When you settle out of court, you're relating to your adversary as a fellow human being. He's not a pest you're dealing with, or just some problem. You're relating to him, and deciding not to prosecute him. You're not saying he didn't hurt you, or that his actions didn't cost you something. You're not saying you like him and want to be best friends. All you're saying is that you're not going to press charges. You're not calling the cops, and he won't be hearing from your lawyer. He's free to go. You can both go your separate ways.
The same goes when you're the person being dragged to court. If someone has something against you, try to get it taken care of now. Do what you can to pay your debt. Ask for mercy. Do what you can to help him to forgive you. Don't make it difficult by throwing your nose in the air and acting like his forgiveness is owed to you as a right. That cheapens the grace that cost God a lot. When it's you dragging someone along, is grace cheap then? Cut a deal. Maybe he'll love like God loves and let you off for free. But even if not, and he asks only a quarter of your debt to him, isn't that a good price for forgiveness? Jesus paid everything for ours.
We're all brothers and sisters before God. There should be no double standards among us regarding sin and forgiveness. There's no "When I call out your sin, I'm challenging you, but when you call out mine, you're judging me." There's no "Well, you're a sinner and I'm forgiven." No such thing as "I've done some bad things, but nothing like what you've done." I'm sure Jesus could say the same to us. If you have the opportunity to negotiate a settlement with someone who would be against you otherwise, then do it! Practice love and forgiveness. You can't model Christ's character by refusing to even dip your toe into the experience that defines him.
Use your time on earth to make peace, forgive debts, and help others to do the same.
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