Matthew 18:21-35

Much of the time we make the mistake of majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors. We speak so fervently against gambling or dancing, smoking or drinking, an entire plethora of do's and don't's, often making them the center-pieces of our Christian lives. This has been happening for centuries upon centuries, for thousands upon thousands of years. We become experts in the realm of the fine print of religious faith, and yet so often we neglect the bigger, more important things of God.

We minor in things like sin management and tithing and what kind of worship music is best for the congregation. Whatever happened to the call to love? Most of the world doesn't see Christians as loving because we are judgmental, condemning and piously arrogant. Whatever happened to the call of mercy? If you double-cross most Christians, they'll double-cross you and seek revenge like it were a cure for cancer. Whatever happened to forgiveness? We hold so many grudges against one another that it would fill more hymnals than we care to read.

Jesus calls us to love others more than he calls us to obedience (I am not saying obedience isn't important!). Jesus calls us to mercy more than he calls us to throw off the yoke of dancing and gambling. Jesus calls us to forgive others, and then he adds a tagline: If you don't forgive others, you won't be forgiven. Major in the majors and minor in the minors. Everything, then, will fall into place.