In Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” there is a character named Shylock who lends money to a deadbeat named Bassanio. Bassanio also agrees to name his friend, Antonio, as a guarantor for the loan on Shylock’s advice. Shylock gives this advice because Antonio has wronged him, and he wants revenge. When the debt comes due, Shylock points out that he has written into the loan agreement that if Bassanio defaults on the loan – Shylock receives a pound of Antonio’s flesh. When asked what the flesh will be used for, Shylock responds, “to bait fish with”.
Grudges are easy to hold. They contain just enough “justice” to make us feel self-righteous in holding them. After all, a wrong is a wrong. They can even be entertaining in a twisted sort of way. We can lay in wait like Shylock, imagining ourselves baiting our fish hooks with Antonio’s flesh. But grudges are also toxic. I once heard of a woman who refused to forgive her sister for denying her a loan of $1 to pay for a pair of shoes when they were children.
This week, we’re challenging everyone to follow Jesus’ “red letters” in Mark 11:25 “First, forgive anyone that you are holding a grudge against.” Forgiveness can be tough because those grudges can sneak back into our hearts sometimes. Forgiveness requires not only that we forgive the person, but that the forgiveness continues on in our hearts. We can start to dream about the pound of flesh and realize that we need to forgive all over again. After all, forgiveness is a promise to not hold a sin or offense against someone – and promises are supposed to endure.
Thankfully, Jesus shows us exactly what this looks like. Instead of God holding out for our “pound of flesh” that He is due because of our sin, God instead gives us the many pounds of Jesus’ flesh nailed to the cross to pay our debt. God doesn’t hold grudges for our sins and shows us the beauty of life that can come by letting go of our rightfully due “pounds of flesh” as well. So let go of that pound of flesh and forgive, after all, it won’t attract the kind of fish you want anyway.