A common perception people have of God from the Old Testament is of a wrathful deity with his hand hovering over the Smite! button, ready to strike down a hapless sinner with a lightning bolt. Reading the Old Testament, however, gives us a very different picture of God. The ancient writers portray Him as slow to anger and abounding in forgiveness. Later, Jesus expands our understanding of God’s forgiving nature with the parables of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, the Lost Son, and others. Jesus teaches us to forgive those who have wronged us, because in doing so we are reflecting the character of God. (See also session notes.)