What Credit Is That To You?

Wk 1 Day 6

Genesis 14-16; Luke 6

Luke 6:32-36
³²"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. ³⁴And 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. ³⁵But 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 sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.


// THOUGHTS:

This is what separates true believers from those who only does good works (apart from Christ and even those who are supposed to be in Christ) - is to love our enemies, to do good to them, and to lend without expecting anything back, to be merciful at everything.

Simple, yet it hits home when even our own co-believers become our "enemies" - those people we get annoyed with, we get irritated with, those who have wronged us, or maybe have betrayed our trust to some level, etc.  This is a reminder that to be merciful is to be like our Father.  What will separate us from being the same as the world is when we do what is impossible - to love our enemies, to do good to them, to be merciful even if it means sucking in our pride for what they did to us.  After all, if God (holy and perfect Being) was and is able to forgive us with every single stupidity we have done against Him, how much more us imperfect beings?  There is no reason why we shouldn't be merciful. 

Loving those who are lovable is a given.  Loving those who are unlovable is unusual to any one.  As believers, we do what is radical, unusual... that is what is "credited".  Doing just as the world does is usual.  Doing what the world doesn't, is unusual. 

// BELLE:

(SIGH)  Yes, I need to be merciful.  I need to give unconditional respect and love to those who may have hurt my heart and made it bleed.  What credit is that to me if I only love and respect those who are lovable and respectable?  Even unbelievers do that.  I gotta do what's unusual - to love them in spite of the wrongs I receive from those who did and who may do again.  I must be merciful just as my Father is also merciful to me.  Not to act like a doormat either, but to be wise - acting in Godly justice and mercy. 

I will love.  I will respect.  Regardless.

// Lord, You are good.  You are alive and Your Word is alive.  I pray that You will help me follow through this.  Direct my thoughts to this whenever I have the inclination to "unlove" or "disrespect" someone for what they do or how they act towards me - their facial expressions, their choice of words, etc.  Help me to love them - though not necessarily called as enemies but those who happen to "get in the nerves".  Fill my heart with mercy like that of Yours.  I will love and respect just as You have done to me.  In Jesus' name, amen.