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Matthew 5:25-26. Paying. 8 Jan 2023

Mat 5:25 Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 In truth I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.

It is a somewhat strange story: I am going to pay and not my opponent. How can I pay anything when I am prison?

There may be a surprising answer. When I can't settle with my opponent, I am already imprisoned. I leave all the responsibility to the other and to a judge. My inflexibility is my prison. I want to hurt my 'enemy', and thus I move myself into a position where I can't escape. At other places in the gospel Jesus instructs that I shall love my enemy. When I can't, I am stuck. My will shall be done and not God's will.

How can I pay anything when I am imprisoned? I pay a price in the form of hurting myself. As long as I persist that some other is wrong, and therefor I have the right to 'hate or harm' him ...
How should I find some joy in life? I pay the price. And the eternal judge will not be on my side.

Prayer

Jesus, teach me how to bless and love my enemies.

Self Evaluation

Perhaps I am even worse than the man who takes his enemy to a judge. He brings the conflict in the open. I foster many small 'hates' in silence and hidden.