Are You Leading With A Love That Gives Encouragement, Forgiveness and Thanks?
Good Morning Friends,
Most people who have achieved a level of success never fully realize its potential because they do not see how stewardship of self fuels spiritual growth and development. Developing a lifestyle of giving… and especially learning to give a loving response to unlovely actions… is what sets us apart as followers of Jesus. Here we learn that the first thing we give is not our money but ourselves. Here we learn that we become more holy when we follow the teachings of the Master… when we realize the power generated when we love even our enemies. Are You Leading With A Love That Gives Encouragement, Forgiveness and Thanks?
Scripture: “But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:27-36 (NRSV)
So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.
Galatians 6:9-10 (NRSV)
Message: It is hard to take it the distance. Few of us will get to the end of an Excel Spreadsheet. And even if we do scroll down the 1,948,576 rows which would take about 9 hours 36 minutes and 10 seconds we would only have the information not the transformation of love. It is not of much help to know we are to love if we do not actually love. And of all the things Jesus commanded, loving our enemies is perhaps the most difficult. But if we give some thought to the issue we might just discover that leaving room for God’s wrath is a much better approach than taking aim at those who oppose what we believe is right. Hatred can so easily become a tool of Satan and its bitterness can rob us of our very salvation. Believing that God will surely pay back trouble to those who trouble you and me is a much better approach. The reality is that when we put on the full armor of God we can overcome evil with good. Indeed, a kind word can turn away wrath. Sure it is difficult, but read today’s scripture. The truth is that when we sow sparingly we reap sparingly. The message is that the reward is great for those who honor God by loving their enemies. There is a huge reward when we do not limit God’s love. Paul in his letters was always thanking God for the grace given to Christians and encouraging them and us to share the grace we have been given. There is no place for spiritual arrogance here. Every time we get a chance to do something good, we are asked to seek strength in the Lord and a focus on the common good starting with those who are closest to us in the community of faith and extending out to the ends of the earth. We are asked to share the dream, share the grace… understanding this as a renewable resource to be given to others, as it was given to us in Jesus Christ. This hope… this confidence, this love, encouragement, forgiveness and thanks is the true mark of Christian maturity. It is evidence we have not only received grace but embrace the process of sharing it. This is a sign of our salvation in Christ that we trust in Him and persevere in Him, so there will be a great harvest of
grace.
You see, the law of sowing and reaping proclaims that life is everywhere God’s Kingdom prevails. Plant the seeds. Tend the plants. Reap the harvest. Keep the dream alive. Those who sow seeds of love and tend them will harvest friends. Those that plant and tend faith will harvest blessings. Those who plant and tend a belief in Christ’s grace will harvest fruits in God’s Kingdom of eternal Grace.
Pray we be generous with our giving. Pray we put God first. Pray we be spiritually committed to take it the distance beyond information to transformation. Pray we realize that it is the height of ingratitude when we limit the use of what God gives us. Pray we realize that our enemies are always hungry and perhaps that is why God calls us to feed them. Pray we learn to love as God has loved us. Pray we not forget to love each other…the family of faith.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 