Focus: Matthew 5:44-45 - KJV
44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Luke 6:27-36
Our God and Father is a kind person. He does not treat anyone as enemy even though they ought to be so treated. An enemy of God is one who refuses to allow God as his Lord and challenges His authority continually. Even His arch enemy Satan, who after challenging God’s authority, has led many others in his path, was not so dealt with by God as one deals with the enemy. Rather than destroy him, God rather banished him and all that he deceived, who technically became his servants, from God’s presence (which is what He still does to the children of disobedience today) till that time of judgment when the Father will roar as the Consuming Fire and then put them to destruction in the lake of fire. This attribute of God is essential for everyone who would live by Christ. For all intents and purposes, please know that the space and ambience Satan enjoys today, albeit in darkness, belong to God, even though he is an enemy. Therefore, like Christ, we are expected also to be non-judgmental of anyone. Even when men treated Christ in such despicable way debasing Him and treating Him like an outcast, rather than judge them, He loved them and prayed for them. This to a man of the world is difficult; but anyone born of the Spirit is already equipped to do it by Christ that dwells in him. So, to live by and be like Christ, do unto others only those things you will approve they do to you and not by what they have done to you.
Men will hate and despise you. Please don’t fret. If they did it to Christ our example, please do not expect anything less. What marks you out as special like Christ is the way you receive and response to their treatment. Christ received His with humility unto the father who sent Him. Will you also be humble unto Christ who has sent you and said you should pray for your enemies? When you decide to avenge yourself, you may end up doing yourself a whole lot of harm. It is akin to kicking away a pot of soup at a time it should be relished, after having labored so much to prepare it.
SOLUTION: Let it not be mentioned with you that you are angry because of the misbehavior of anyone no matter the sagacity of the same. Rather, when occasion warranting that occurs, take ten deep breaths and say a word of prayer. Then you will have the strength of the Holy Spirit to go on as if nothing happened.
Father, there is no one like you who treats the enemy with kindness. We look up to you today for the grace to replicate your kindness in our lives unto others by obeying your command to pray for our enemies. Do please take pain and emotions far from us that we may be like you in praying for our enemies in Jesus’ name. And as we achieve this, do keep us in you that we may continue to experience heaven on earth in the name of Jesus.
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