“But to you who are
listening I say:
Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you”
Luke 6:27-28
What do you do
when somebody hurts you?
Come on, get
real.
It sure sounds
good to say – “Well, I forgive them of course!”
But is that
always or really our first response?
Or do we
determine we will get our pound of flesh?
Usually the latter,
not the former!
Maybe Jesus said
“But to you who are listening…” as the start of todays’ verse because He knew
how easy it is to tune out this particular message.
We sometimes
find it difficult just to love our friends and here He is commanding us (those who
are listening anyway) to love our enemies.
We ask: “Can’t I
love them after I get even?”
Yes, that would
be so much easier wouldn’t it?
But of course we
all know the answer is “No!”
I don’t know
about you but I simply cannot love my enemies and pray for those who have hurt
me apart from the Holy Spirit working in me.
He puts me in remembrance
of the truth that I was forgiven by Christ
even when I was
still in my sin.
He forgave me
and He requires me to forgive those who have offended me.
It is never a “Do
as I say, not as I do” lesson from God.
He has walked
where He asks us to walk.
He showed (and
continues to show) us the way.
Do you need to
forgive someone?
Look to Jesus as
your model.
“Father, forgive
them…”
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