“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Matthew 18:32-35 NIV
What if the mercy God showed you was not simply given for your benefit? What if it was also a pattern — a clear example — of how God expects you to treat others? In Matthew 18:32–35, Jesus reveals a sobering truth. Following Jesus’ example of mercy is not optional for those who have received it.
Whose Example Are You Following?
The master’s question cuts to the heart. “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (Matthew 18:33). This is not merely a rebuke — it is a mirror. The servant had personally experienced extraordinary grace. Yet when the moment came to extend that same grace to another, he chose a completely different path.
Indeed, what Jesus highlights here is critical. The mercy you receive from God is not only a gift — it is also an example. God, as your Master, has already demonstrated the full measure of what He expects from you. He does not hold you to an abstract or impossible standard. Instead, He calls you to the standard He himself has already shown.
Why Following Jesus’ Example of Mercy Is Non-Negotiable
Jesus spoke in John chapter 14 of His followers doing “greater works” in terms of ministry. However, when it comes to character and how you treat others, He has already laid down the perfect example. You do not need to invent your own approach to mercy. Rather, God calls you to follow the one He has already shown you.
The master’s question, therefore, is not asking the servant what he could have figured out on his own. It is not a call to intuition. It is a call to imitation. The master is essentially saying: I showed you how to be merciful. I showed you what compassion looks like. Should you not have done the very same?
So the deeper question in Matthew 18:33 is: whose example are you following? If you are truly His servant, then His example is the one you must walk in. God showed you mercy so that mercy could flow through you to others.
Living It Out
The mercy God showed you was costly and complete. Following Jesus’ example of mercy means living not according to feelings, but according to your Master’s pattern. Give to others the same fullness of grace that He gave to you.