Sad Behavior

Matthew 18:28-30 “Then the same servant went out and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying Pay me what thou owest. And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.”
The story Jesus is telling was first about a man who had a great debt and could not pay it. Came to his master and begged to be forgiven and all his debt was forgiven him. You kind of wish the verses that follow were not there but Jesus knew there would be many who would not be willing to forgive. So He wanted to make sure we got the whole story. We see a picture of a man who had received mercy and that same man who refused to show mercy. He refused to give that which had been given to him. Why would Jesus show us such a picture? I feel He wanted to show how essential it is for us to not only receive forgiveness, but to practice it in our dealings with others. Notice how this man had been on the brink of loosing all he had was shown mercy of his master. He then promptly forgot what he had been given and went out and grabbed one who owed him very little by the throat and demanded payment. Instead of showing the same mercy he had just received he cast his fellow servant in prison. This is surely not how a true Christian should behave. It is quite the opposite of the Christian attitude.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the alter, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave thy gift before the alter, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. In other words God will forgive us but we must first forgive others. For if we cannot forgive others should we then be forgiven? At the end of Jesus’ story we see the result of an unforgiving spirit. “And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
Jesus also instructs us to forgive in Mark 11:25-26, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
It is great to have a loving God who will forgive us if we ask Him. God forgives us should we then not do likewise to those who have wronged us?