Title: A Cut Above / Topic: God's Standards

Today’s Reading: Daniel 11; Daniel 12; Luke 6

Scripture: 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. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34 And 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. 35 But 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. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Observation: This is one of my favorite scriptures because it is the first one that God used to really speak to my heart after I became a Christian. I realized after reading this that God's standards for love and forgiveness were a huge cut above my own. As the passage indicates, even sinners can love those who love them. They can lend if they expect payment back. But can they love when someone causes them deep emotional pain? Can they forgive and not hold a grudge if they loan money and it is never repaid? I've never met a non-Christian who can do these things. Even for a dedicated Christian it takes the empowerment of the Holy Spirit because it is normal and understandable to be upset and angry if someone wrongs you or cheats you out of money. But Christians are required to have more than just natural reactions, they are supposed to have supernatural reactions.

Application: Every time I'm deeply hurt I have the opportunity to use the experience to become more like Jesus. To quote an old phrase, I can become bitter or I can become better. I choose to become better. I need to spend time in my Lord's presence until the pain becomes mercy. This is part of sharing in the fellowship of His suffering (Phillipians 3:15). It also keeps me free. Loving my enemies means I can be in their presence and experience no negative emotions. I'm no longer tied to them through pain. I'm tied to my Lord in love.

Prayer: May I always love as you do, Lord, and forgive with the full grace and mercy of your Spirit. May the ability to love and forgive through anything be a testimony to others and lead them to you.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.