“Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.” Matthew 5:25

In this verse, our Lord commands a QUICK agreement while the other person is near (“on the way with him”). The handing over to the “judge, officer and prison” shows the seriousness of holding a grudge.

However, why do so many people – though they are aware that the lack of forgiveness is extremely harmful to both body and soul – insist on committing this mistake?

Those who do not forgive are “lovers of themselves” because they do not want to give up their reasons. They consider more the reason for hatred and the enjoyment of the wounds of resentment than all the reasons to forgive.

Deep down, those who know the Word of God and hold a grudge against someone, puts their right and opinion above it.

That is why the Lord Jesus said that His forgiveness is conditional to the forgiveness we give to others. This is the only way a person can get out of their stubbornness and stop flattering their justifications for hatred.