In the parable of the unmerciful servant, after being forgiven an unimaginable amount of money, he was trying to get money from someone else who owed him.  Maybe he though he could pay the king back – at least a little – so that he didn’t look so bad.

I think so many times as believers, we are trying so hard to sin a little less, or to make ourselves look a little better.  Often it happens at the expense of others.  God is saying – I took care of all that, just live out of the life I have given you.

We are so busy trying to pay back our already forgiven debt, that we don’t have time to show mercy and be a blessing to others.

He has given us everything we need for ourselves and plenty to give to others.  Yet, we think we are needy.  We think we need others to give us various things – recognition, resources, good feelings, etc.  So instead of being satisfied with all that God is continually doing for us, we sit around pouting because we think we don’t have enough.  Instead of being a blessing to others, we are constantly trying to pull from others to satisfy our perceived needs.

God’s reality is that we have everything we need.  We look at ourselves from that perspective.  Then we give freely, knowing that God will take care of us, and provide every need that we have.