treat others as you wish to be treated – Page 70

Daily Devotional for November 7, 2019 – Keeping watch at your post – are you fully prepared?

Mark 13:32-37
“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father. So keep a sharp lookout, for you don’t know the timetable. It’s like a man who takes a trip, leaving home and putting his servants in charge, each assigned a task, and commanding the gatekeeper to stand watch. So, stay at your post, watching. You have no idea when the homeowner is returning, whether evening, midnight, cockcrow, or morning. You don’t want him showing up unannounced, with you asleep on the job. I say it to you, and I’m saying it to all: Stay at your post. Keep watch.”

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Last night, I saw a Facebook post from a teacher friend that included a picture of Christmas wrapping paper. Someone commented and said, “Don’t tell me that you are already wrapping Christmas gifts!” Indeed, she was doing just that. Talk about being prepared!

I will admit…I have a few “Christmas gifts” in the closet already…and there was a time when I would have already wrapped a few. Maybe it’s the “teacher” in us that makes us over-prepare for such things. But let’s face it…if we got to Christmas Day and nothing had been purchased or wrapped – it wouldn’t be the end of the world

The real preparation should come in our Spiritual life. We should heed Christ’s admonition to stay at our post and keep watch. We should make certain that we have followed the directives of Jesus…that we have fully surrendered our hearts to Him. We must make sure that we always love others – all.of.them! We must serve God at every turn and be fully ready, willing and able to do whatever He asks, whenever and wherever He places us.

We must continually strive to treat each and every other person as we would wish to be treated. We must stay in constant communion with God – through prayer, Bible study and fellowship with other believers – so that we know that we know that we KNOW that we are hearing from Him and not getting confused by the noise of this world and the devil’s agents.

We must be totally equipped for whatever God brings our way…even our death or the return of Christ Jesus. We don’t know the exact hour…even Heaven’s angels don’t know! But God knows…and He is counting on us to be ready for anything. Are YOU fully prepared?

Daily Devotional for November 2, 2019 – Rescuing the enemy – are you who God is sending?

Romans 12:20-21
Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

I have wrestled with this scripture and others like it. Clearly, God wants us to be kind to others…to “love our enemies”…and to turn the other cheek while resisting evil in our own lives. Yet all we have to do is turn on the evening news or cable TV, and we see people who are supposed to be respectable leaders spewing lies, hatred, discrimination, foul language, deception, and more. We see examples of “influential people” who appear to have no problem with physical and verbal cruelty…mistreatment of children…or even murder.

The irony is that God calls us to reject evil, even while treating wicked people and situations with kindness. I have asked myself more than once, “If some of these ‘evil’ people knocked on my door, would I let them come inside?” Would I shake the hand of someone I knew to be a liar and a cheat? Would I smile politely and offer him/her a cold drink on a hot day…or a meal if I knew that he/she was hungry? The phrase, “I wouldn’t walk across the street to spit on him if he were on fire” comes to mind. And I admit, I have actually said this!

God has really dealt with me about this attitude. Every.single.person is His prized creation. Even the most evil person was created by God. Like Satan, he/she may have fallen out of favor, disappointed – or even renounced our Heavenly Father. But as long as we draw breath, God never gives up on us.

Imagine for one minute if God turned His back on YOU! Consider how you would feel, and then think about “the other guy”. What if YOU were the person God sent to signal to him/her that “I’m not done with you yet!”? What if God used YOUR act of Christian love and kindness as the catalyst to retrieve a “prodigal son or daughter”?

Our Timothy sang a song at church recently about the “Reckless Love” of God. In the song’s chorus, the words reminded us that God “leaves the ninety-nine” to go after the one lost sheep. Your “good acts” toward an “evil” person may be like the “Shepherd’s hook” that rescues a lost sheep.

I am not suggesting that we condone evil words or actions. But behind them are a child that God loves dearly, and we may be who He sends to reclaim them with an act of love and kindness. Are you willing to take the chance and be that person? Don’t you think we should be?

Daily Devotional for August 17, 2019 – Loving others – the debt you should never finish paying!

Romans 13:8
Pay all your debts except the debt of love for others—never finish paying that! For if you love them, you will be obeying all of God’s laws, fulfilling all his requirements.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

My friend Jo-Ann was meticulous in many ways. She never had a speck of lint on her freshly-ironed clothing – or a hair out of place. She kept a neat and orderly house and car. She paid attention to every detail in her classroom. And only a few hours before she passed into Heaven, she insisted that her daughter, Kelly, pay any outstanding bills.

Kelly said that her mother was particularly insistent that the attorney’s bill be paid. Assuming that it must be in the thousands of dollars, Kelly opened the statement and prepared to write the check. The remaining balance was $59. She dutifully wrote the check and told Jo-Ann that this had been done. Less than five minutes later, Jo-Ann passed through Heaven’s gates.

Jo-Ann may have left this earth with all of her physical bills covered…but she was still paying on her “love debt”. She loved fiercely to the last minute…and beyond. A few days ago, I referenced advice that she gave me as a fellow first-grade teacher in 1977… to “Kill ‘em with kindness.” I still use this advice – and think of Jo-Ann. For me, her love is still present, even from Heaven. I am sure that in ways great and small, those who knew and loved her will experience that “unpaid debt” until she greets them in Paradise someday. And this is how it should be for all of us.

We should be known as people who love. When others greet us – or think of us – they should immediately be filled with a sense of how deeply we love them as children of the Most High God. They should envision an encompassing love of Jesus…love of others…and even a love of self (in the sense that we demonstrate care and attention to our physical, mental and spiritual well-being). We should operate so completely in love that there is no doubt about whether we are fulfilling all of God’s requirements. Our love should always be on display.

My friend Jo-Ann demonstrated love every day. She radiated joy and peace. Her pastor noted that there were down times and hardships…and I remember when she went through more than a few of them. But her love for God never wavered. If anything, difficulties – especially a cancer diagnosis – deepened her love for God, and for others.

God has called us to love. Jesus continually modeled how we are to do this. We have the perfect example in Him. It is our job to implement what has been taught and commanded…to work continually on our “love debt” – but never quite finish paying. How well are you doing these days?

Daily Devotional for August 15, 2019 – Love others…it’s the only law you need!

Romans 13:10
Love does no wrong to anyone. That’s why it fully satisfies all of God’s requirements. It is the only law you need.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

I don’t need to add a lot to this passage. We just need to sit and let it soak in…to think about how this applies to our daily living and the world around us. We may not be able to do much about “the other guy” and how he/she is treating others. But we can clearly see what God requires of us…and change can begin with us.

Will you join me? Will you look for ways to love rather than hate…to show kindness and inclusion rather than bias, discrimination, judgment, and elitism? Will you do everything within your power to represent the love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion of Jesus…to every person you meet?

Will you release grudges and forgive offenses? Will you forget past mistakes and remember that Jesus has forgiven far more than we will ever be asked to pardon – and tossed our sins as far as East is from West? Will you begin to look at every single person as Christ’s beloved – just like you – and treat him/her accordingly?

Are you really ready to fully satisfy all of God’s requirements by loving others and making a concerted effort to do no wrong to anyone? Isn’t it time you were?

Daily Devotional for August 4, 2019 – Operating in the love of Christ…we don’t have time to be mad!

August 4 ~ Proverbs 10:12
Hatred starts fights,
but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

I so didn’t want to see this scripture today. I honestly want to just be mad for a day or two over the senseless shootings that have occurred in our nation in the last twenty-four hours. And for the record, if you think the mass murders in El Paso and Dayton are singular events, you are mistaken. Countless other lives were taken across our nation overnight by gunfire. We have become a nation where we barely look up for a news report that involves the shooting of less than a half dozen people.

Statistics found at http://bradyunited.org indicate that approximately 100 people die each day in our nation as a result of gunshots…and another 210 survive gunshot injuries. An estimated 61 of those 100 who perish are the result of suicide. Every day, 21 children and teens (ages 1-17) are shot in the United States. A lot of these gunshots are borne out of hatred in one way or another.

I am angry over how so many have decided that hatred is okay…that it is alright to say or do whatever one pleases in order to get a specific result. I am tired of the attitude that it is “us against them” – and “they” should go back to wherever they came from (wherever that is supposed to be). I am up to my ears in disgust over pictures and reports of people being pressed together in cages, children separated from parents, and aluminum foil blankets covering human beings – and hearing reports from those in authority that “they are being treated well.”

I am sick to death of name calling, discrimination, bigotry, racism, chants of “lock her up” and “send her back”…and the attitude that anyone who is not a wealthy, white, heterosexual, Christian, native-born American citizen is to be hated and treated with disdain and disrespect. I am tired of trying to explain to children how they are to respect adults who are in positions of leadership and authority, while these people spew venom with every sentence they utter and behave in a disrespectful manner on a daily basis.

Still…for all of the disgust and frustration that I feel, I hear Jesus saying, “Love anyway.” I read my Bible and write these devotionals and know that Jesus is calling me to “love anyway”…to treat others kindly and with respect. I know that He is telling me in countless ways each day that “these are My children, too…as precious to Me as you are.” And I know that Jesus means ALL of them…from those who are mistreated to the worst abuser. And I will tell you, I am struggling to be obedient in this area.

I am having a hard time finding a single redeeming quality in the words and actions of some of the “haters”. I suspect that many among us are struggling to find an ounce of love and compassion for the shooters in yesterday’s tragedies – or in any act of violence. When we learn that a child molester was beaten in his jail cell, many of us probably have at least a semblance of satisfaction that “he got what he deserved”. While I have seen victims of crimes find grace and mercy for the person who committed the offense…I wonder if I could do the same thing in their shoes, even though I know that this is what Jesus would want.

As I argued with God today and asked Him to allow me to be mad for awhile, I heard him ask, “How will this make you different?” There is a fine line between being angry and disgusted at the words and actions of those who hate and behave in ways that stir up hatred and violence – and becoming “one of them”. If we do not make a concerted effort to operate in love – and say and do things that promote the love of Christ for all people – we run the risk of getting caught up in the hatred and becoming part of the problem.

As Christ’s disciples, you and I are supposed to be “separate and apart” from sin and sinful behavior. We are supposed to rise above the fray and operate in love, grace, mercy, compassion, inclusion, and forgiveness. We are supposed to demonstrate to others that Christ’s love is for everyone. This means that we cannot pick and choose who to love – or who to treat with kindness and respect. We are supposed to be part of the solution – not add to the problem. And the way to begin to do this is to choose to love – all people in all circumstances. Notice I did not say that we are to excuse hatred or unloving behavior…but we are to continue to love the person Christ has called each individual to become.

As much as I want to simply be angry with some folks for a while, I want to serve Jesus more. And I know that I cannot do both. So I have no choice but to surrender to His will – and choose love. I have to see what Jesus sees…and treat others as He would treat them, regardless of how they behave. I have to lay aside my personal attitudes and adopt the mindset of Jesus – that all human beings are precious and salvageable. If we believe that Jesus came to save the world…and that He can do anything…we have to believe that He can redeem even the worst sinner, if he/she is repentant. For me, Jesus’ Good News is absolute truth. So I have to work hard every day to love others…all of them! What about you?

Daily Devotional for July 22, 2019 – Love your friends AND your enemies…learning to let God control your words, actions – and thoughts

Matthew 5:43-49
“There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much. If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathen do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Psalm 139:2
Psalm 94:11
Psalm 139:4
Matthew 9:4
1 Chronicles 28:9
Luke 11:17

These scripture passages are a small sampling of verses that remind us how God knows every thought we have. In the New Testament, several verses about Jesus and how he interacted with others begin with…”Knowing their thoughts…”. I share this to tell you that I can sometimes manage to speak and act with love toward others – but my thoughts about them still need some work!

We have to make a concerted effort to take our evil and unloving thoughts captive…to recognize when we have an ugly contemplation about someone and ask God to help us turn this around. Rather than dwell on the negative feelings we have toward this person (even if we feel they are justified), this should be an opportunity for us to pray. Imagine if you stopped and prayed for someone every time you had a negative/unloving thought about him/her. Stop and think about how God might use your faithful obedience…if only to modify your ideas and attitudes and make you a more loving disciple.

Yesterday in Sunday school, my co-leader emphasized to the children that what they say and do (and think) at home is just as important as how they conduct themselves in public. She noted that we tend to let our guard down around family members and close friends…people who know us and love us without question. But this is an area where we need to work on monitoring what we say and do…and we also need to pay attention to our thoughts – and check those, also.

This is an area where the devil can readily gain a stronghold. We must make sure that our evil and unloving thoughts are captured and demolished, so that the devil doesn’t have a chance to amplify and expand them into full-blown sinfulness. If we are not careful, those deliberations have a way of slipping out via comments, or even our body language and how we react and respond to others. I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want is to grieve God – or to give the devil a minute of pleasure!

I’ve tried to justify my thoughts to God…”But LORD…he/she is a murderer, rapist, child molester, animal abuser, bully, or generally just a BAD person!” I’ve railed (mentally, if not verbally) against unscrupulous people in positions of power, liars, cheats, and even the “friend” on social media who posts what I consider to be ridiculous, hateful rhetoric and garbage. Surely God cannot fault me for this! But every time…I hear His voice saying, “This is my child. I love him/her, too. If you are going to be my servant, you must love all of my children – and treat them with the same grace, mercy, kindness and compassion that I give to you.” I also feel God reminding me that I’m no “angel”, either!

So here is my challenge…we must all pray. We must pray for strength and resolve to be the most faithful, obedient disciples of Christ that we can be. We must pray that God will do what we cannot in the hearts and minds of those for whom we have unloving thoughts. We must pray and ask God to help us control our words, actions…and our thoughts. We must pray that God will banish the devil and fill our hearts and minds with inspirational ideas of His Kingdom and how we can serve to further His missions and ministries. We must pray, “Come, Lord Jesus” – and leave the heavy lifting to Him.

This is a great time to get started. It’s time to give control of our thoughts to God, once and for all. Wherever you are, take 5 seconds to stop and pray…”Come, Lord Jesus” – and get ready to be amazed by what God does with your efforts.

Daily Devotional for July 20, 2019 – Loving one and all with the love of Christ..how well are you doing?

Matthew 4:23-25
From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God’s kingdom was his theme—that beginning right now they were under God’s government, a good government! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the “Ten Towns” across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Technological advances in the last quarter century have resulted in an explosion of information that is readily available at our fingertips. From television shows about all sorts of unusual and odd people/things to Internet searches and social media…we know a whole lot about each other that we might not have ever realized before this revolution.

So you can watch a TV show about a person who visits a surgeon for removal of a weird growth on his/her body…or a family with sextuplets or “little people”. You can check an app on your phone to see who is in jail…or you can read the awful things others share on Facebook and Twitter about someone. You can learn “Untold Stories of the ER” and watch two people remodel a house who have never even picked up a hammer!

You can watch men and women have “Botched” plastic surgeries corrected…or follow one of several veterinarians on his/her daily rounds. You can watch people who apparently have trouble making a “love connection” try to find happiness on shows like “The Bachelor/Bachelorette” or “Married at First Sight”. And you can view dozens of law enforcement officers across the nation deal with situations involving everything from simple traffic violations and expired license tags to domestic disputes to cars filled with drug paraphernalia, and thieves, murderers and more.

There is a common thread in all of these situations…the people involve are all human beings who are precious in the sight of Jesus. Yes, some are ailing – mentally, physically or emotionally. Some have physical deformities, and others have “personal problems”. Some appear to be quite lovely and helpful…and some simply appeared in the wrong place at the wrong time. I assure you…even that person who seems to have everything totally together has something that’s not quite right in his/her life.

But each and every one of these individuals is important to Jesus. Each is worthy of redemption and blessings in His eyes. Each is entitled to dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven, if they choose to follow Christ. Each of these people can be heirs to the throne, just as much as you and I can. So why are we looking at them any differently? Why aren’t we seeing what Jesus sees?

How can we claim to be Christ’s disciples…to be redeemed sinners destined for the glory of Eternal Life in Heaven – and disparage, criticize, condemn, or despise another of His children? How can we claim to serve Him if we insist on picking and choosing who to serve in this lifetime…and who to toss aside – if not downright disavow? The simple answer is, “We cannot!”

Ask God to show you how and where you need to make attitude adjustments. Who do you need to see in a different light…and love with the love of Christ? I’m not suggesting that you have to become bosom buddies…but remember, how you treat others is essentially how you are treating Jesus. He has told us that when you do something toward “the least of these”, you have done so to Him…both positively and negatively. So how are you treating Christ these days with your thoughts, words and actions? Are you loving others with the love of Christ…all of them? Isn’t it time you were?

Daily Devotional for July 19, 2019 – Are you ready to drop your nets?

Matthew 4:18-22
Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.

A short distance down the beach they came upon another pair of brothers, James and John, Zebedee’s sons. These two were sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, mending their fishnets. Jesus made the same offer to them, and they were just as quick to follow, abandoning boat and father.

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Peter, Andrew, James and John were ordinary fishermen who appear to work in their family businesses, so to speak. I tried to determine their “pedigree”…but basically, they were Galileans who toiled alongside their fathers in hometown villages…tossing out nets to gather bass, perch, and other small fish.

I cannot imagine that their lifestyles were extravagant by any stretch of the imagination. Most assuredly, these men were not of royal lineage. They probably were what we would consider today to be lower-to-middle class citizens. And yet, Jesus chose them to be the first of His twelve disciples. These men were in Christ’s inner circle of trusted agents who would travel with Him and acquaint the masses with His message – and teach them to love others and treat them as we wish to be treated.

As we see in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), these ordinary men from ordinary backgrounds worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Jesus to let everyone know that no man was better or more important than another in God’s Kingdom. They learned from the Master how to minister to the sick and infirm, children and the elderly, the poor, the rich, and those who had been cast aside for whatever reason. No one was excluded from the love and ministry of Christ…and this has not changed.

I don’t know your “station” in life. You may be a healthy, rich, white, heterosexual American for which “privilege” is the norm. Or you may fall somewhere else on the continuum of human beings who populate our world. But the message I want you to hear is that this does not matter to Jesus! We are all on His list of potential Disciples…we all can be “Fishers of Men”. In fact, this is God’s deepest desire…that we surrender to Jesus and follow Him…and that we do it just as cleanly and clearly as Peter, Andrew, James, John and the others did. God wants us to literally drop what we are doing and pick up the mantle of Christian Discipleship.

I don’t know for sure, but I would think this was a hard thing for the Disciples to do…to walk away from their homes, their families and all that they knew – and follow this man that they barely knew (if at all). Perhaps they had heard Him preaching, “Change your life…God’s Kingdom is here!” Still, they took a huge leap of faith and courage. You may have to do the same thing…particularly if you are called to change attitudes and actions toward some of God’s children.

We cannot minister to others – or serve as Christ’s disciple – if we are going to pick when and where we will follow Jesus. We cannot choose who to love and/or who gets our attention. God is going to put all kinds of people and opportunities in our path – if only to test our level of commitment to Christ! How are you going to respond? Who will you serve in His name…and how will you care for His flock – all of them?

Are you really ready to “drop your nets” and follow Jesus? Are you serious enough about your commitment to disavow any biases, partiality, preconceived notions and unfair attitudes toward even one of God’s creatures? You have what it takes to be a Disciple of Christ…He has fully equipped you for this mission. But the choice is yours…what will you decide?

Daily Devotional for July 15, 2019 – Completing the mission…go beyond with God with hope and courage

Matthew 24:11-13
Many false prophets will come and fool a lot of people. Evil will spread and cause many people to stop loving others. But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

The world is a scary place right now. Even people who endured the ravages of WWII, the Civil Rights movement, Desert Storms I and II, and more are worried. I have dear friends who are almost despondent about our current situation. They insist that they have never seen the evil and hatred so widespread…and they talk of “false prophets” and those who are trying to lead us down the wrong paths. I believe their claims. But more importantly, I believe the promises of Jesus.

In all honesty, I have said more than once of a loved one who passed to Heaven, “I’m glad he/she didn’t live to see this mess.” But at the same time, I know that God has a plan…and we are part of it. Perhaps you and I are living at such a time because God needs us to be the voice of reason…to share the love of Christ amidst hatred and evil. We are to tell anyone who will listen that God is still on the throne – and all who believe in Him, confess their sins and vow to follow Jesus, and stay faithful to His commands will be saved.

We are headed for glory, friend! When our mission and ministry on this earth is over, God has mansions in Heaven with our names on them! Moreover, we are not called to suffer anything that Jesus didn’t endure…and in many cases, our burdens and worries pale by comparison. We.can.do.this! Jesus will equip us with everything we need for this assignment. We just have to pay attention, keep our heart and mind open to His directives, and serve willingly.

This is VBS week at our church. Our theme is “To Mars and Beyond”. The children learned last night to “Go beyond with kindness.” Tonight, they will focus on how to “Go beyond with thankfulness.” And tomorrow night, we will finish with “Go beyond with hope!” Each night in the closing activity, a “commander” asks the children…“Did you complete tonight’s mission?”

Heaven is a glorious place…I am convinced of this! But I’m not in any hurry to get there, because I know that God needs faithful disciples to carry out His plans on this earth. You and I, as believers in Jesus Christ, are part of that faithful group – or we should be. Are you “completing the mission” that God has given you? It’s time to get busy…and “Go beyond with God!” He’s counting on us…are you up to the challenge?

Daily Devotional for July 10, 2019 – Live generously and love them anyway…practicing the servant life as Christ’s disciple

Luke 6:27-30
“To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.”

Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.

Most dictionaries define an enemy in terms of harm, hatred, war, hostility, and military actions. In these terms, I don’t have any personal experience with a true “enemy”…and I hope you don’t, either. But I believe that in Biblical context, the term “enemy” can be extended to anyone who has offended, insulted, wounded, or otherwise behaved in an unkind/unlovely manner toward us or someone we know and love.

There are people who make us cringe because of their misdeeds…and others who simply rub us the wrong way. There are indeed those who give us a hard time or take unfair advantage of us. And Jesus is telling us in this passage from Luke 6 to “love them anyway” and quite literally to “take it on the chin”. Our human instinct is often to retaliate…to “hit back” or behave in a similarly unseemly manner. This is why when someone behaves badly, people go stark raving mad on social media with calls to “hang them from the highest tree” or to “give me five minutes alone with him/her”…as if this will solve everything. Jesus is clear that this is not to be our response.

I will be the first to tell you that this “love your enemies” business is hard for me. When I hear reports of child abuse and molestation, I am understandably angry. Surely Jesus can’t really expect me to love someone who would commit such acts…or to treat them with kindness and generosity! If someone hurts a member of my family, how could Jesus possibly expect me stand by and say/do nothing? And what if someone abuses an innocent animal? Does God really expect me to treat this person with kindness?

Let’s be clear…Jesus is not telling us to condone wrongdoing. He is not telling us that when we love someone who has harmed, cheated, or otherwise wronged us or someone we love, we are saying, “All is absolved and forgotten.” Every person will have to answer for his/her words and actions at some point. But you and I are not the judge and jury. And if we truly desire to serve Christ and live in His blessings and abundance, we must follow all of His commands…including this one.

Often, forgiveness and a generous spirit are not nearly as beneficial to the recipient as they are to the giver. If we harbor resentment and ill will toward others, it will eat at us and rob us of joy and peace. The devil would like nothing better! It is right to be outraged over abuses and mistreatment – of anyone or anything. We are right to be upset about exploitation and maltreatment of our planet and its people. But we must channel our frustrations properly and call on existing systems of justice to deal with the punishment and retribution.

We must ask God to give us strength and courage to love our “enemies” and dwell on the beautiful and lovely things of Jesus as we minister to others. Remember, you and I might be the only representation of Jesus Christ that another person encounters. If we show them love, grace, mercy and kindness – even when we both know that they have made mistakes – we are showing them the compassion of Christ. This might be what turns the tide in their life. If not, we have the consolation and assurance that we did what Jesus commanded of us. At the end of the day, this is truly enough.

I don’t get this right all of the time…I am angered and frustrated by a lot of people and situations. And while I may not lash out directly, I don’t always offer kindness and mercy. I know this is what Jesus is calling me to do, so I am working to make improvements. Every time I “take the high road”, I feel a little more peaceful. Every day, I learn more about how to trust God to do what I cannot – and to judge others according to His will and system of justice. I am learning to release these things to Him and live generously in the love of Christ. What about you?

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