De-valuing God’s Currency

Matt.6: 15, 16 For if you forgive...your Heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive...neither will your Father forgive your trespasses

Imagine that as you’re walking down the street one morning and a passing stranger says, “Here, get new shoes.” Taking his gift, you count ten crisp $5,000 notes. If you’re a shoe-loving girl like me, you’re tempted, for about 30 seconds, to spend the whole $50,000 on shoes. But being wise, you head straight to the bank. Eagerly, you give the teller your account number and hand her the ten notes. Picking up the first note, she carefully inspects it and types a number. She repeats this for each of the nine remaining notes. Then the printed receipt flies 4 centimetres off the counter as she says, “Next!!”

Looking at the receipt you note that your account has been credited only $38,945. Annoyed, you wait till she yells “Next” again. In a soft and even tone, you say, “Miss, I gave you $50,000, this receipt is for less.” Exhaling loudly she tilts her head while her eyes roll upwards. Exhaling again, she barks out, “In this bank, each note has a different value.” Then she explains that the value of each note depends on the account into which it is being deposited and that each time a deposit is made into the same account the value of the note decreases. As such, each time she entered another note, its value is less than the one before. “Since you haven’t made too many deposits you got almost $39,000, this time. Next!”

For sure, you won’t be making another deposit in that bank! The truth is that if it is a real note signed by the Governor of the Bank of Jamaica, a $5,000 note is worth exactly 5,000 dollars every single time. If not, it is worth absolutely nothing, every single time. There is no in between. Forgiveness is like that. If it is the God-signed type, it pays the debt for any sin, every single time. If not, it is worthless, every single time. There is no in between. It can’t cover all my sin when exchanged between God and me, and only the first 70 sins when exchanged between my sister and me. It’s all or nothing. This is why Jesus says in Matt. 6:14, 15 “If in your heart’s bank the worth of Heaven’s currency depends on whose account is being credited, God won’t be making deposits at your bank.”

Dear Lord, teach me how to be genuinely forgiving to others as you have been forgiving to me, in Jesus’ name I pray, amen