Matthew 5:43-48
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to 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 then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
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.
There are a lot of so-called child experts who say if a small child bites you, bite him/her back. “They need to understand how this feels,” the experts tell us. And you may agree. My opinion is that biting a child who bites only sets up a contest to see who can bite the hardest – or who is stronger. If the child happens to stop biting as a result, I believe this is merely coincidence. Equally as many “experts” will tell you that “the punishment must fit the crime,” which is why I am personally opposed to spanking. Does hitting a child for hitting someone – or for any other misbehavior – really do anything except “show him/her who is boss?”
Let’s be honest, we learn very quickly to retaliate when challenged. Just watch a few toddlers at play. You’ll see biting, hitting, scratching, and more in order to claim a position as “Top Dog.” If we do not take measures early on to instill in children a sense of loving one another, sharing, and showing kindness even when we don’t want to, we soon end up with youngsters who have learned to feel – and exhibit – disdain for their “enemy.”
Don’t misunderstand me… showing love and kindness toward someone who has offended or hurt us in some way is really, really hard. I have encountered several people in my lifetime that I found it very difficult to pray for and offer compassion. Certainly, as we hear more and more about bullies among us – in all age groups – we see that there are some pretty unlovely and unlovable people out there! But as Christians, we are better than this… by God’s grace. We who are completely unlovely ourselves… filled with sin and totally unworthy of God’s love… are shown incredible grace, mercy and compassion by our Heavenly Father. And we must pass this on to others in our path.
The writer of these verses is right… it is time to grow up in our faith. If we claim to be heirs to God’s kingdom, we have to act like them. We must exhibit the same love and kindness that God bestows upon us to everyone in our midst… not just to those who are nice to us. It may take some time to get this right, but we have to try… and with God’s help, we can do it. Ask Him to give you strength and courage…to fill you with His Holy Spirit and equip you with grace, mercy, and true tenderness for your fellow man. Practice this every day. Learn to love your friends…and your enemies… and live out your God-created identity.
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label loving the unlovable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label loving the unlovable. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for July 20, 2012
Luke 17:3-4
"Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it's personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, 'I'm sorry, I won't do it again,' forgive him."
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.
Once again, our country is deep in the throes of a horrific tragedy, as we learn more details about the senseless shooting that took place in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, early this morning. We are heartsick for the victims and their families. We shake our heads and ask, “What sort of derelict could do this?” And therein lies part of the answer… this had to be the work of someone who was not of sound mind.
Certainly this person deserves to be punished for his crimes. Surely he must be kept away from society, so that no one else is harmed. But we must also remind ourselves that he has a mom and a dad… maybe siblings, other family members, and friends. He could be your brother… or my son… or a beloved cousin, significant other, or roommate. He is most assuredly a precious child of God. And as such, we must find it in our hearts to forgive him.
We do not diminish what this young man has done… we do not excuse his behavior in any way… we merely release any feelings of hate or unkindness we have toward him and allow God to heal our hearts. As the Aurora, Colorado, police chief said in a press conference, we will all get through this.
I pray that none of us ever has to personally experience anything as dreadful as the events of today. But all of us will be offended, insulted, mistreated or hurt in some way – most likely many times in our lives. How will we handle this? Will we become angry and sullen, hold a grudge and let the bitterness eat us alive? Will we give Satan this satisfaction? Or will we operate in the love of Christ and forgive not only those who ask us to do so… but also those who don’t?
We weren’t there when Jesus died on the cross, but He did it anyway… and asked God to forgive us. We may have asked His forgiveness since that time… and we should… but Jesus offered us love and compassion long beforehand. And we should do the same for others.
Everywhere we turn, people are saying, “Pray for the people of Colorado.” I would offer that we should also pray for the shooter… his family and friends… and anyone who has wronged us in any way – whether he/she has asked for our forgiveness or not. If we want Jesus to forgive us and love us unconditionally, we must be prepared to do no less than this for others. Who do you need to forgive today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
"Be alert. If you see your friend going wrong, correct him. If he responds, forgive him. Even if it's personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, 'I'm sorry, I won't do it again,' forgive him."
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.
Once again, our country is deep in the throes of a horrific tragedy, as we learn more details about the senseless shooting that took place in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, early this morning. We are heartsick for the victims and their families. We shake our heads and ask, “What sort of derelict could do this?” And therein lies part of the answer… this had to be the work of someone who was not of sound mind.
Certainly this person deserves to be punished for his crimes. Surely he must be kept away from society, so that no one else is harmed. But we must also remind ourselves that he has a mom and a dad… maybe siblings, other family members, and friends. He could be your brother… or my son… or a beloved cousin, significant other, or roommate. He is most assuredly a precious child of God. And as such, we must find it in our hearts to forgive him.
We do not diminish what this young man has done… we do not excuse his behavior in any way… we merely release any feelings of hate or unkindness we have toward him and allow God to heal our hearts. As the Aurora, Colorado, police chief said in a press conference, we will all get through this.
I pray that none of us ever has to personally experience anything as dreadful as the events of today. But all of us will be offended, insulted, mistreated or hurt in some way – most likely many times in our lives. How will we handle this? Will we become angry and sullen, hold a grudge and let the bitterness eat us alive? Will we give Satan this satisfaction? Or will we operate in the love of Christ and forgive not only those who ask us to do so… but also those who don’t?
We weren’t there when Jesus died on the cross, but He did it anyway… and asked God to forgive us. We may have asked His forgiveness since that time… and we should… but Jesus offered us love and compassion long beforehand. And we should do the same for others.
Everywhere we turn, people are saying, “Pray for the people of Colorado.” I would offer that we should also pray for the shooter… his family and friends… and anyone who has wronged us in any way – whether he/she has asked for our forgiveness or not. If we want Jesus to forgive us and love us unconditionally, we must be prepared to do no less than this for others. Who do you need to forgive today?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 27, 2012
1 Peter 3:8-9
Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’m betting that somewhere along the line, someone has insulted you… or been rude or hateful. If you are a young adult, you have had classmates and acquaintances say something unkind that really stung. If you are a parent of grown children, you have likely survived the slings and arrows of teenagers… and many of you may now be dodging the jabs thrown by aging parents or loved ones. Others may have had to put up with a boss or co-worker who was hurtful or unkind… or maybe even a spouse, significant other - or even a family member.
Regardless of the “who or how,” one of the hardest lessons for us to learn as Christians is how to love those who insult us and treat us badly… and to continue to treat them with kindness. It would be so easy to lash out… to give as good (or is it as badly?) as we get. And the devil would love every second of it! But God calls us to always take the high road… to be kind and humble and continue to love others, even when they do not reciprocate.
Believe me when I say I have sometimes done this through gritted teeth! I am the first person to admit that this is not always easy. But I am also the first to tell you that God will bless your efforts – in ways you can’t begin to imagine. If you remain obedient and love even those who don’t seem to deserve it – or maybe especially those who are unlovable at any given moment – God will see to it that you are blessed. Better still - you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the devil didn’t win… you did! Isn’t that reason enough to give this a shot?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Finally, all of you should agree and have concern and love for each other. You should also be kind and humble. Don’t be hateful and insult people just because they are hateful and insult you. Instead, treat everyone with kindness. You are God’s chosen ones, and he will bless you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I’m betting that somewhere along the line, someone has insulted you… or been rude or hateful. If you are a young adult, you have had classmates and acquaintances say something unkind that really stung. If you are a parent of grown children, you have likely survived the slings and arrows of teenagers… and many of you may now be dodging the jabs thrown by aging parents or loved ones. Others may have had to put up with a boss or co-worker who was hurtful or unkind… or maybe even a spouse, significant other - or even a family member.
Regardless of the “who or how,” one of the hardest lessons for us to learn as Christians is how to love those who insult us and treat us badly… and to continue to treat them with kindness. It would be so easy to lash out… to give as good (or is it as badly?) as we get. And the devil would love every second of it! But God calls us to always take the high road… to be kind and humble and continue to love others, even when they do not reciprocate.
Believe me when I say I have sometimes done this through gritted teeth! I am the first person to admit that this is not always easy. But I am also the first to tell you that God will bless your efforts – in ways you can’t begin to imagine. If you remain obedient and love even those who don’t seem to deserve it – or maybe especially those who are unlovable at any given moment – God will see to it that you are blessed. Better still - you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the devil didn’t win… you did! Isn’t that reason enough to give this a shot?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 24, 2012
Deuteronomy 10:12
People of Israel, what does the Lord your God want from you? The Lord wants you to respect and follow him, to love and serve him with all your heart and soul…
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version ©1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today is the birthday of my cousin Natalie. I remember when she was born… my husband and I had been married less than a year, and my parents would place this darling baby in my lap and say, “When you finish college, maybe you will have one of these.” When Natalie’s brother Franklin came along four years later, they would hand him to me and say, “Doesn’t this make you want a baby?” As much as I love Natalie and Franklin, babies were not in the plans for us… at least not at that stage in our lives! But oh, how I loved my cousins. They were adorable… and easy to love – and they still are today! I am so proud of who they have become as adults… and parents themselves!
While it is easy to love some people… others are what I would describe as “unlovable” – or at the very least, “unlovely.” Yet, as Disciples of Christ and people who “walk in the fear of the LORD” (meaning we love and respect God and His commandments), we are called to “love one another.” We must recognize that the “unlovely” and “unlovable” are just as important, precious, and adorable to God as we are!
I totally understand how hard this is for us. When the telemarketer calls and interrupts my dinner or an evening movie, I find it hard to be kind and loving. When someone mistreats me - or worse…when I learn of the abuse of a child or watch news reports about the horrors of war or the mistreatment of an animal, I find it hard to love the perpetrator. And while we are right to be outraged and/or insulted… the ultimate judgment and justice resides with God. Trusting Him to handle these things is tantamount to operating in Christian faith.
Today, think of someone that you consider “unlovable” or “unlovely.” I bet you won’t have to look very far – we’re a pretty judgmental lot! Now imagine God wrapping His arms around them and loving them as much as you love your most dear child, cousin, or friend. Consider that this person is just as important to God as we are… and He expects us to treat them fairly. This doesn’t mean we have to go out of our way to be nice to a criminal or bully – but we must love them in our hearts… and genuinely pray for their soul.
We can’t have it both ways. We can’t say we “walk in the fear of the LORD” and also claim we find it impossible to love – or even tolerate – some people. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a lot of work to do in this area. But it could be some of the most important work of my life, and I’m more than ready to begin. To “walk in the fear of the LORD” – keeping God’s commandments – is the foundation of all happiness. This means I’m going to have to work harder at loving those who make it so difficult… and I’m willing to do this. Are you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
People of Israel, what does the Lord your God want from you? The Lord wants you to respect and follow him, to love and serve him with all your heart and soul…
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version ©1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Today is the birthday of my cousin Natalie. I remember when she was born… my husband and I had been married less than a year, and my parents would place this darling baby in my lap and say, “When you finish college, maybe you will have one of these.” When Natalie’s brother Franklin came along four years later, they would hand him to me and say, “Doesn’t this make you want a baby?” As much as I love Natalie and Franklin, babies were not in the plans for us… at least not at that stage in our lives! But oh, how I loved my cousins. They were adorable… and easy to love – and they still are today! I am so proud of who they have become as adults… and parents themselves!
While it is easy to love some people… others are what I would describe as “unlovable” – or at the very least, “unlovely.” Yet, as Disciples of Christ and people who “walk in the fear of the LORD” (meaning we love and respect God and His commandments), we are called to “love one another.” We must recognize that the “unlovely” and “unlovable” are just as important, precious, and adorable to God as we are!
I totally understand how hard this is for us. When the telemarketer calls and interrupts my dinner or an evening movie, I find it hard to be kind and loving. When someone mistreats me - or worse…when I learn of the abuse of a child or watch news reports about the horrors of war or the mistreatment of an animal, I find it hard to love the perpetrator. And while we are right to be outraged and/or insulted… the ultimate judgment and justice resides with God. Trusting Him to handle these things is tantamount to operating in Christian faith.
Today, think of someone that you consider “unlovable” or “unlovely.” I bet you won’t have to look very far – we’re a pretty judgmental lot! Now imagine God wrapping His arms around them and loving them as much as you love your most dear child, cousin, or friend. Consider that this person is just as important to God as we are… and He expects us to treat them fairly. This doesn’t mean we have to go out of our way to be nice to a criminal or bully – but we must love them in our hearts… and genuinely pray for their soul.
We can’t have it both ways. We can’t say we “walk in the fear of the LORD” and also claim we find it impossible to love – or even tolerate – some people. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a lot of work to do in this area. But it could be some of the most important work of my life, and I’m more than ready to begin. To “walk in the fear of the LORD” – keeping God’s commandments – is the foundation of all happiness. This means I’m going to have to work harder at loving those who make it so difficult… and I’m willing to do this. Are you?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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