For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15 NRSV Bible)
In the book, Mistreated, author Ron Davis tells a story about a millionaire who owned a lot in an exclusive residential area. This lot presented an unusual problem. It was only a couple of yards wide by nearly a hundred feet long. There was nothing she could do with the odd piece of land but to sell it to her neighbors.

She first went to the neighbor on the east side of her lot. The neighbor said, "Well, I'll buy it only as a favor." Then the neighbor offered a ridiculously low price.

The landowner exploded, "Why, that is not even one-tenth of what that lot is worth." She stormed out and went to her neighbor on the west side. To her dismay, this neighbor bettered the previous offer by only a few dollars. The neighbor said, "Look, I've got you over a barrel. You cannot sell that lot to anyone else and you cannot build on it. So, take my offer or leave it."

This millionaire filled herself with rage. Within a few days, she hired an architect and a contractor to build a house on her property. The house was only five feet wide and it ran the full length of the property. Each room was barely able to accommodate a stick of furniture.

When the house was done, the millionaire moved into her uncomfortable and impractical house. And she lived unhappily and trapped in her narrow house until her death.

This lady became trapped because of her resentment. We also can become trapped when we become resentful and don't forgive others.

Loving God, you have done so much to show me your love, please show me the way to love by forgiving. In Jesus name, Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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