Hey, Carpool Crew. I am really glad you are here today. This is Episode 4 in our series based on a story Jesus told called The Unforgiving Servant. We are hearing the same story again and again, but each time from a different point of view. Before we jump in, let's slow down and remember what has already happened. In Episode 1, we heard from the servant who was forgiven a huge debt. More money than he could ever repay. The king forgave him everything. In Episode 2, we heard from the fellow servant. The one who owed a much smaller amount of money. He begged for time, but instead of being forgiven, he was grabbed, embarrassed, and thrown into prison. In Episode 3, we heard from the king. The king forgave generously, then later found out that forgiveness had stopped with one person instead of being shared. Today, we are hearing from the other servants. The ones who watched all of this happen. That matters, because sometimes the people who are watching see things the clearest. Here is how it felt from our point of view. We were servants in the palace too. We worked alongside these men every day. We knew who owed what. We knew who had power and who did not. So when the king forgave that huge debt, it shocked everyone. That kind of forgiveness was not normal. People talked about it. We said things like, 'Did you hear what the king just did?' 'Can you believe he forgave all of it?' 'No one gets forgiven like that.' We watched the forgiven servant walk away free. And for a moment, we thought something good had happened. But then, later that same day, we saw something else. We saw the same servant grab another servant. We saw him demand payment. We saw the fear on the other servant's face. And we watched him fall down and beg. That detail mattered to us. Because we had just seen someone beg that same way earlier. Same fear. Same posture. Same request. But this time, there was no mercy. We watched as the forgiven servant refused to forgive. We watched as the fellow servant was dragged away to prison. And we felt disturbed. That word matters. We were not just surprised. We were upset. Because something about this felt very wrong. In Bible times, communities were close. People noticed how others treated each other. You could not hide cruelty. We knew the king needed to know. So we went and told him everything. Not because we wanted trouble. Not because we wanted revenge. But because injustice was happening. Here is something kids might not know. In Bible times, witnesses mattered a lot. Kings depended on reports from others to know what was really happening in their kingdom. Especially when someone with power was hurting someone without power. That is why Jesus included us in the story. Because how we treat people does not just affect us. It affects everyone watching. Our forgiveness teaches something. Our lack of forgiveness teaches something too. Kids understand this. People watch how you treat your siblings. People watch how you respond when someone says sorry. People watch how you act when you are angry. And those people learn something about what you believe. We wanted the king to see what had happened because forgiveness had been given, but it had not been passed on. And forgiveness that stops halfway causes damage. Here is what Jesus wants kids to understand. You do not forgive just for yourself. You do not forgive just for the other person. You forgive because it shows what kind of heart you have. The forgiven servant showed that he did not understand the forgiveness he received. And everyone could see it. Now, let's bring this into everyday life. Imagine a teacher forgives you for breaking a rule. Then later, you refuse to forgive someone else for a small mistake. Your friends notice. Imagine a parent gives you grace when you mess up. Then you get mean when your sibling messes up. People notice. Your choices are teaching lessons even when you are not talking. That is why this part of the story matters so much. Before we go, let's look ahead. There is one more point of view left in this story. And it might be the most important one. Next time, in Episode 5, we are going to talk about the listener. The people who heard Jesus tell this story. That includes the disciples. That includes the crowd. And that includes us. Before we end today, let's remember what we learned. We heard from the other servants, the ones who watched forgiveness given and then refused. They saw how one person's choices affected everyone else. And they knew something important. This story was not over yet. Because Jesus didn't tell this story just for the people in it. He told it for the people listening. And that includes us. In the next and final episode, we are going to talk about the listener. The people who heard Jesus tell this story. The people who had to ask, 'Where am I in this story?' And what Jesus wants us to do next. Remember, no matter where you are or how you are listening, God loves you.
