Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors   (Matthew 6:9-12). 

Depending on your translation, this could read debts, or this could read trespasses.  Either way, it amounts to the same thing: we’re in the wrong, and there is no way we can dig ourselves out.

The story that comes to mind is from Matthew 18.  Jesus tells of a man—let’s call him Michael—who owed his king a ginormous amount of money, more than he could ever hope to repay.  The king, out of his own goodness, cancelled the debt.  Michael danced the boogie dance of delight.  Later, Michael encountered a fellow servant who owed him a few bucks.  Michael was brutal toward his fellow servant, showing no mercy whatsoever.  When the king found out about Michael’s behavior he was, shall we say, unhappy in the extreme.

Yeah, so on second thought, let’s not call him Michael, hmm?

Beloved, as you wend your way through Wednesday, you will encounter people who desperately need a smack upside the head.  Please remember that, even more than a smack, they need grace.

As do you, Beloved.

As do we all.

Happy Wednesday.