Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Matthew 18:21-22

Peter asks the question “how many times shall I forgive?” but what he may not know is that he is really asking “what kind of a person shall I be?”; his question is not one about the rules of forgiveness. His question is directly and clearly about how many offenses Jesus expects Peter to suffer before Peter’s grace runs out!

Peter, as always, is very relatable. We don’t always understand exactly what it is God has done for us, and therefore, what we are expected to do in his name. Learn who God is: gracious, forgiving, patient, all-loving and kind–oh and did I mention forgiving? Imitate God because God forgives.

Ethan Kirl