October 24
Scripture: Matt 18:21-22
Source author: Janet Graham
October 24
70 x 7 People Then Peter came to him and asked, “ Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “ No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “ but seventy times seven!” —Matthew 18:21–22
What is with her? Why does she keep doing this stuff?” I cried out to the Lord. I was talking to Him about my stepdaughter, who had hurt me time and time again. In fact, at that stage in her life, she was pretty pleased with herself if she could visibly cause me grief. I sensed the Lord telling me, “Forgive her.” “Again?” I responded. “How many times am I going to have to forgive her, God?” Boy, I really set myself up for that one! Instantly, words from Matthew 18 flashed through my mind, including the “70 x 7.” I realized that morning that Nicole was my “70 x 7” person. The way our personalities clashed, I was sure she’d hurt me— intentionally or not—490 or more times. Or, as some theologians tell us Jesus meant here: endlessly. All of us have people in our lives like Nicole—people who may be hard to love or cause distress in our lives but won’t be leaving our lives anytime soon.
Keep showing love and forgiveness to those 70 x 7 people in your life, and let the Lord take it from there. — Janet Graham —