Tuesday, October 3, 2017

October 3 Thought for the day...been jerked around? Respond with love!


All of us have been jerked around by someone at one time or another. It hurts to be treated that way and then to see them seemingly get away with it. It is a tough place to be in, but we have all been there, and Paul challenges us to overcome by love.

Love..." does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;" 1 Corinthians 13:6

I have been in situations where I have been very severely wronged. For a season it seems like the person gets away with it but a seed of corruption in a person does eventually catch up with them. It always happens. Bad seed always brings a harvest of bad crops. The human nature side of me always wants to at least, in a private way, to rejoice when they get their "come-up-ins!" Paul is challenging that human nature side of us to become more Christ-like.

Paul is saying real, genuine; love does not get happy, rejoice, or even snarkily say "Yes!" when someone has treated us poorly. We are to remember that God still loves them and wants the best for them including their repentance. When justice does come to them, the Father's heart, like it was for Israel, is always compassionate and believing for the best. It is easy for unforgiveness to set in if we don't work to keep our hearts pure. People will be jerks at times. I can be a jerk at times. Real love looks past the jerk in us to see our potential.

Paul ties all this in together when he says that real "love rejoices in truth." Truth sets people free. We become jerks because we don't fully love at the moment, we don't feel His love pouring into us, we are short-sighted about God's plan, or we become jealous of the blessings others have been given. When we walk in the truth, understanding God's plan for our lives, we can walk in freedom. We can rejoice when others are blessed because we recognize that blessing was perfect for them and God isn't limited in His ability to bless. Our blessings will be just perfect for us.

If you rejoice when others get their "come-up-ins" or if you struggle when others are blessed, perhaps the Lord is lifting a mirror to you to see the things He desires to work on in your life. God truly loves you and only wants the best for you. Don't shortchange yourself from God's blessings by not loving His way. Permit His love to pour in you and through you, today!




No comments: