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Key Bible Verse: Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?" (Matthew 18:21). Bonus Reading: Matthew 19:21–35

Kevin and I met as college freshmen and have been good friends ever since. But here I was, a half country away, talking to Kevin on the phone and asking for his forgiveness. I'd broken a promise that was important to both of us. And it hurt.

Kevin and I haven't talked about my broken promise for nearly a decade. Why? Because Kevin forgave me. It wasn't a flippant or sudden act. I'm sure he did some soul-searching. But somewhere back there, Kevin released the pain I caused and decided to remain my friend.

What a gift! I'd let Kevin down, big time. He'd have been justified in calling it quits. He could have said that's enough of Les Parrott: "I don't need to waste my time cultivating a relationship with someone who doesn't deserve it." But, instead, Kevin set his grievance aside and forgave my failing.

Good friends do that. Their survival depends on it. Every friend we'll ever have will eventually disappoint us. Our friends aren't saints. They're ordinary people. Decent, yes. But even decent people hurt each other, sometimes deeply and unfairly. That's why a lasting friendship depends on forgiveness.

—Les Parrott in A Good Friend

My Response: A friendship of mine that is endangered is _____. To repair it, I'll …

Thought to Apply: Friendship flourishes at the fountain of forgiveness. —William Arthur Ward (pastor, writer)

Adapted from A Good Friend (Les & Leslie Parrott, www.realrelationships.com) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Thank you, Father, for the gift of true friends. Help me to value my friendships and keep them in good repair.

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