Sunday 31 August 2014

Forgiving Your Enemies

The topics of discussion at our men's group this week were "Turning the other cheek", "Forgiveness" and how, as Christians, both should be  vital aspects of our lives.

Luke 6:27-36:
“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. 

“If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

“Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

This isn't going to be a long-winded blog post. I just want to urge you to meditate on the above scripture, and I pray that it serves as a reminder that, as Christians, we are called to be Holy, separate from this world. 
I know from experience how difficult loving someone who has hurt you can be. It almost feels against our nature to forgive in many instances, but we must lay down our pride, submit our problems to Jesus and do something that often feels impossible to do...love our enemies....and I mean truly LOVE.

This coming week I am challenging myself  to be more compassionate than I have been before...and, if this post has touched on a nerve in anyway, I pray that you will not forget this scripture and that God will work in you and give you strength/wisdom to be the compassionate being you are called to be.

Peace and Love
A

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