On September 2nd, 2017, during a burn ban, a 15 year old Oregon teenager went hiking through a tinder-dry forest, lighting and tossing fireworks as he went. He lit a fire that burned 48,000 acres over the course of 3 months. Justice must be served. He must make reparations.
He was sentenced to five years probation. Easy enough. Don’t commit arson for five years. Reassess your love for fireworks when you’re twenty. He was also sentenced to 1,920 hours of community service with the Forest Service. If he works 8 hours a day, five days a week for a solid year, minus four weeks for sick leave and vacation, he’ll square away his community service debt. Missing a year of school stinks, but, then again, this work will certainly prove educational. So far, it looks like our young arsonist will be able to satisfy the claims of justice.
Then came another sentence. A judge ordered the boy to pay $36 million in restitution. $36,000,000.00. Unless he achieves a brilliant career in the NBA, this debt is liable to remain unpaid. If he grows up, forgoes a family, and earns 6-figures in his job for most of his career, he’ll be able to pay about $6 million of it, should he save every penny. Perhaps he’ll invest wisely and get close. Though the debt will never be repaid, the Judge authorized the Hood River Juvenile Department to set up a payment schedule.
This reminds me of the steward in Matthew 18. Peter is trying to wrap his mind around forgiveness, so Jesus tells him a story about a man who owed 6 million days wages to a king. Obviously, the man could not pay. Facing imprisonment, torture and death, he begged the king for mercy. The king showed mercy and released him from his debts. Later, unthinkably, this man throttles his neighbor who owed him 100 days wages, showing him no mercy. The steward’s vile actions earn him a rehearing with the king, who sentences him accordingly. Jesus’ stories usually make sense. This one does not. How can anyone forgiven so much, retain a bitter, unforgiving spirit toward others? That’s the point. Those who are truly forgiven, truly forgive. Are you forgiving those who wrong you? What has God forgiven you?
There’s a ray of hope for this teenager from Oregon. The judge who sentenced him to repay $36 million, also wrote, “The court can grant full or partial satisfaction of the restitution judgment after 10 years if the youth successfully completes probation, does not commit additional offenses, and complies with the payment plans.” In other words… future forgiveness possible, pending performance review. Aren’t you glad forgiveness with God is not this way?
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” –Psalm 103:8-12
Christ’s performance is all-satisfying to God. The unpayable debt has been paid. Total forgiveness in Christ sets us free to extend forgiveness to others. This is amazing grace.
