"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him 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 went off and 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?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." (Matthew 18: 28-35)

The reign of any ruler is much more than the ruler's specific decisions.

Whether the ruler is Augustus Caesar, Charlemagne, Lincoln, Hitler, or George Bush the priorities, policies, and even personality of the ruler tends to suffuse the reach of his or her reign.

Failure to comply with the priorities of the ruler has consequences.

Jesus taught us to pray, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." This is a key component of "your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

We are forgiven. Whatever our failures the reign of God is predisposed to compassion and creativity.

There are, apparently, two preconditions: we must ask forgiveness and we must extend forgiveness to others.

In my own experience to fail to forgive is in itself a form of torture.

Whether I fail to forgive myself or another is to be trapped in anger, resentment, or worse. The parable teaches us that failing to forgive is contrary to the reign of God. Such a choice has consequences.

Above is the Unmerciful Servant by Rembrandt.