Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind, Your desires in my heart, Your words in my mouth, as You lead me by Your Spirit through every moment of my day. ...
“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat 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 asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back 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 expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Instead, 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 Himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:27-36).
Being more like Jesus is as much about becoming more “merciful” as it is about moving in the miraculous. It’s as much about allowing Your Spirit to develop our character as it is about anointing us with charismatic gifts.
And at the heart of that supernatural character development is the evidence of how we treat people -- especially the most challenging people, like the ones that hate us and hurt us, curse us and mistreat us, judge us and misunderstand us, or even just flat out ignore us. Embracing the true character of Jesus is the most challenging choice we’ll ever face in this life.
We all know the Golden Rule, “Do unto other as you would have them do unto you,” which is taken from this very Passage of Scripture. But we don’t always remember just how challenging and counter-cultural this command of Yours really is. Being “merciful” as “children of the Most High” is marked by being much more radically loving, extravagantly giving, and graciously forgiving than even most of the most committed followers ever come close to living out.
We, of course, can’t even begin to do this or even desire to do this apart from You. It’s not in our nature. And that’s point. You want to change our nature, as You develop our character into the nature and character of Christ (Romans 8:29), as we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).
This transformation is not just a little tweaking here and there. It’s a crucifixion of our flesh (Galatians 2:20); it’s a circumcision of our heart (Romans 2:29). It’s resurrection of our new self as a “new creation” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), but it’s a resurrection lifestyle not merely a one-and-done prayer, as we “die daily” to our old ways of thinking and living, of loving just those who are easy to love and being merciful only to those who we think deserve our mercy (1 Corinthians 15:31). It’s answering a call and commitment asked of every would-be disciple and follower of Christ, as You continue to set before us this choice every day: “If any wish to come after Me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
It’s not an easy road, even as we rest in You and trust in the finished work of Your cross. It’s not meant to be. In fact You said, “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Pressing even further, You said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from Me, you who behave lawlessly’” (Matthew 7:21-23).
How I need Your grace every moment of every day. I thank You for the grace that saved me, but I’m also desperately dependent upon Your grace to sanctify me, to make me more like You every day. Apart from You, I can’t begin to do this or even desire this (John 15:5). So I thank You that I’m not apart from You, that Your Spirit is living in me, changing my heart and developing my character to make me more like You, giving me both the desire and the power to please You and honor You with this sliver of time with the opportunities I have on this side of Heaven (Philippians 2:13).
My family, I pray you may choose daily to embrace the challenging character of Jesus, by embracing the power of God's grace and the work of His Spirit in you, making you more like Jesus each day, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections on this in the comments box below.
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