For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
(Matthew 6.14
NRSV)
Jesus told parable about a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. A servant who owed the king about a million dollars was brought to him. Since the servant was not able to repay such a vast sum, the master ordered that the servant and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before his master. "Be patient with me," he begged, "and I will pay back everything."
The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants. This second fellow owed HIM about a hundred dollars. He grabbed his fellow servant and began to choke him. "Pay back what you owe me!" he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, "Be patient with me, and I will pay you back." But he refused. Instead, he had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. "You wicked servant," he said, "I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" And the answer, of course, is yes. He should forgive as he had been forgiven. And that is where you and I are today. "Heaven," as Mark Twain said, "goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out, and your dog would go in."
Lord Jesus, may I forgive as you have forgiven me. Thanks for your blessing. Amen.