The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23-35) Imagine a world with more forgiveness. It has been said that withholding forgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die. Jesus uses this powerful parable not just as an illustration about forgiveness, but also as an invitation into a deeper relationship with God through forgiveness. The reciprocal nature of God’s grace is such that when it is given it creates the opportunity to deepen the relationship with a responding gift. At first look this parable seems like it might not be very gracious, but when it is put into it’s historical context it’s easy to see that this parable is actually a perfect example of how God’s grace invites us into a greater story.