Christian Living
All along the path of life, occurrences will inevitably arise in which we are sure to feel that we have been done an injustice. People will intentionally and unintentionally harm us, and we will be forced to bear the scars of the insensitivity of others. In the midst of our pain how often do we do that which comes naturally, crying out for justice?
It never ceases to amaze me how quickly we expect the Lord to forgive us for our sins, yet, when we are wronged by others, up jumps the give-me-justice reflex! Without a doubt, when we are hurt by others, whether it is physically or verbally, directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, it can prove difficult (and oftentimes seem quite impossible) to turn the proverbial cheek. Understanding that it is 100% natural for feelings like this to arise is totally fine; yet, refusing to line up with Jesus’ instructions when we find ourselves in these situations is an entirely different story.
Why is it so natural to want forgiveness, yet so difficult to forgive another? I believe it has a lot to do with our immediate focus. In the heat of a moment, we all know how easy it is to lose sight of what is most important, especially when we feel betrayed or unjustly mistreated. The natural inclination is to want justice to prevail. Remarkably, events like these are sure to follow instances in our lives in which we have done something wrong in the sight of God, for which we have desperately sought forgiveness. Am I the only one who sees the irony in that line of reasoning?
This puts me in mind of the story Jesus told about the man who could not forgive someone of a miniscule debt, only having himself just been forgiven of a debt so large that he couldn’t pay it, even if he had several lifetimes in which to try. We call that hypocrisy. News flash: in life, we will all play the role of the hypocrite at one point or another. These are not the instances which concern me the most; it is the failure to recognize and rise above these inappropriate behaviors which trouble me deeply.
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us, we also ought to love one another.”—John (1 John 3:23, NKJV)
When we look at what the Spirit of God is saying here, we must first understand that the word “propitiation” comes from a Greek word, which finds its origin within the Hebrew word, which means mercy seat. As I am sure you are well aware, God’s mercy seat was in the holiest of holies, and it was where the blood of the sacrifices which represented all the sins of the Israelite nation was sprinkled, so as to appease the Lord for atonement for the entire nation’s sins.
Okay, I said all that to say what? As I’m sure you are well aware, we are saved because of God’s mercy. True love has nothing to do with our loving God first; however, it has everything to do with His merciful response to our sin. As spoken by the Apostle John, “as God loved us,” we are to love one another. In other words, love is not necessarily about showing affection to those who are kind and gentle with us. In this is love: when we are mistreated, when we are used and abused by others, when we see people doing things which totally go against everything we believe in, the answer is not to show harsh judgment, but to love them by extending undeserved mercy. That is love.
With certainty, I am not implying that this is a simplistic task. I cannot imagine the grave pain our Father experienced when He sent His Son to die for our sins. Most assuredly, it is undeserved. In light of this, true love does not appear to be something that is cost free and extended with ease. At times, we will be subject to the mistreatment of others, which would naturally validate contempt and judgment. We will oftentimes see actions of others which will surely evoke strong emotions and feelings, giving us the desire to react harshly and rashly. Brothers and sisters, when Jesus was mocked, spit upon, beaten, mistreated and crucified (as we all know), He never uttered one word of contempt or rebuke against them. In all actuality, the cry of His heart was to pray to the Father for forgiveness and compassion on their part.
I pray that in these perilous times (the last days of the last days), that we will find it within ourselves to seek out the heart of God in our daily lives. That we would desire God’s mercy and compassion for the souls of so many that hang in the balance. The souls of those lost within the deceptions of false religions, humanistic philosophies, and secular compromise; understanding that the essence of what lies within each of these is a soul whom God created. You know, people created just like you and me, fearfully and wonderfully, in the likeness and image of Him; those for which He chose to die, whom He loves so dearly.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”—Micah (Micah 6:8, NKJV).
So often we get that directive out of order: we live as one needing mercy, demand justice for all those who harm us and offend us, and expect God to cosign on our behavior. When in all actuality, God instructs us to live as one who will be judged, extend mercy to others, and humbly seek His presence in our lives. Let’s think about that.
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