Sunday, 22nd April 2007
Just the other day, I heard someone use the phrase "once bitten twice shy".
This idiom is used to describe the situation where someone who has been hurt will be far more careful the next time.
It is very natural for a person to behave this way. In fact, those who embrace evolutionary theories would say that such behaviour is part of the survival instincts of animals.
As Christians however, we do not believe in evolution. Nor are we to adopt this maxim.
Just imagine if the great men of God that we read in the Scriptures had done so.
Had Jesus not forgiven Peter for denying Him, Peter would not have risen up to become a great apostle whose sermon on Pentecost resulted in 3,000 souls saved.
Had the Christians who were persecuted had not forgiven Saul (latter known as Paul), two thirds of the New Testament would not have been written.
It was therefore very timely to hear a sermon today by Rev Tay Kay Leong on the subject of forgiveness.
Rather than "once bitten twice shy", the maxim we should be adopting is "seventy times seven".
When Jesus mentioned this phrase as recorded in Matt 18:22, He did not mean four hundred and ninety times literally, but immeasurably.
If we consider the extent of the debt that God has forgiven us (10,000 talents or S$7.2m), then we should be able to forgive others whose debt is measly in comparison (100 denarii or S$15).
Shalom
Malcolm
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