Unworthy Servants
“So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'” (Luke 17:10, ESV)
Main Point: True forgiveness flows from humility that recognizes we are unworthy recipients of grace.
The phrase “unworthy servants” might sound self-deprecating, but it contains profound wisdom about the heart of forgiveness. When we truly understand our position before God—as people who have received grace far beyond what we deserve—forgiveness becomes not a matter of superiority but of solidarity.
Habakkuk came to understand this. Despite his questions and complaints, he ultimately recognized God’s perfect righteousness and his own position as a dependent creature. His faith wasn’t based on feeling worthy of God’s attention or deserving of God’s blessing, but on God’s faithful character regardless of human merit.
When someone sins against us repeatedly, our natural response is often, “I don’t deserve this treatment!” But the heart of an unworthy servant says, “None of us deserve the grace we’ve received from God.” This perspective doesn’t excuse sin or minimize hurt, but it provides the proper foundation for extending forgiveness.
We don’t forgive because we’re such gracious people. We don’t forgive because we’re morally superior to those who hurt us. We forgive because we’re fellow recipients of undeserved grace, and extending that grace to others is simply part of what it means to live in God’s household.
This humility protects us from the pride that makes forgiveness feel like we’re doing someone a favor. Instead, we recognize that in forgiving others, we’re simply passing along what we ourselves have freely received. We’re unworthy servants who have been entrusted with a treasure we did not earn.
Reflection: Recognizing our own unworthiness before God enables us to extend grace freely to other unworthy people. How does viewing myself as an “unworthy servant” change my approach to forgiveness? What does it mean to forgive from humility rather than superiority?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me remember that I am a fellow recipient of undeserved grace. May this humility enable me to forgive others freely. In Christ’s name, Amen.
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