Devotion October 23, 2026

By: Pastor Dennis

Matthew 18:35 “So my heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Jesus teaches in this account of the place of the “heart” in the scenario of forgiveness. He also taught us in the “Parable of the Good Samaritan” the importance of compassion when we hear or see the plight of those who find themselves unable to repay what we owe. In this parable of forgiveness, Peter has asked Jesus how many times should he forgive a brother who has sinned against him. 

What We Should Know

The vast majority of us have experienced crises sometime in our lives and have hopefully experienced that wave of emotional relief when told “Your debt is forgiven.” The words “I forgive you” are emotionally life-saving and should never be taken for granted. That’s what Jesus did for us on the cross. He paid the penalty of all of our sins. We too should feel good when we can say to those indebted to us “You are forgiven.” That is compassion and, without it, our hearts become hardened.