Good evening! I hope that your day has treated you well, and if not, what did it teach you about yourself? So often we get so caught up in the negative or the emotions that come with undesirable situations, myself included. But something that God is teaching me in this stage is instead of looking at situations as bad, take the judgement away, and what does it leave? Well, that leaves you with just a situation, and maybe that situation struck a cord or a trigger point of an area that still needs healing. And for me, instead of focusing on the negativity or the way the situation made me feel, I instead ask what can this situation teach me? Because it’s easy to say how we were wronged and justify our negative reactions by blaming others. But what did Jesus teach us when he said,
“32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:32-36.
And I want you to really sit with that and let that really sink in and speak to your heart.
What is that passage saying to you? What is God laying on your heart? Maybe it’s a memory that comes up, an emotion that you can’t quite figure out that’s okay. But invite God into that space to bring clarity and peace. For me, that passage speaks not only to the standard we should have as children of the Most High. It also speaks to a level of self-mastery and mercy. I say self-mastery because we know that when we lived outside of God’s will, we lived by every whim, feeling, and desire we had in our flesh. But if we truly live by the spirit, we no longer entertain any of these things. I’m not saying temptation won’t come. Because it will, but when it does, we stand ready and equipped to fight with the same words God gave us to set us free in the first place. As for mercy, it reminds us and keeps us humble, because I once needed mercy. Honestly, I still do today. So just like forgiveness, how can I not have mercy on someone else when I too need mercy every day? And just by that reminder, it releases any negative emotions, not simply because vengeance belongs to God. But because God is also full of mercy and grace. So pray for them, release them, and yourself. Not only that, it teaches me to not take action in my own hands to handle and instead allow space for God to move into those situations.
If that’s hard, just recite this when those moments arise: “ NOT by my will, God, but by your will, and keep it moving.” Remember, we are children of the Most High, and you no longer have a point to prove to anyone. As you wind down from your day from work, or school.. Or if you’re retired, hats off to you, friend, but remember the people that rely on you need you at your best, so that they can be at their best too. So fix your crown prince or princess. YOU got this, I got this, WE got this. Thanks for reading. God bless!
Reference Page
Biblical Passage:
> Luke 6:32-36 (NIV)
> “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Book: Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)
Reference Website: Bible Gateway - Luke 6:32-36
Summary of Passage:
Loving only those who love you holds no special merit.
Doing good should not be limited to those who do good to you.
Lending without expecting repayment reflects true love and mercy.
God rewards those who act with selfless love.
Believers are called to be merciful, modeling the mercy of the Father.
Keywords: Love, Mercy, Enemies, Selflessness, Reward, Luke 6:32-36
