
Luke 6:35-36
“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 children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
This is a tough message from Jesus, at least for me. It is difficult enough to give our time to others, but now he is asking us to give our time and even our money to those who we may see as “undeserving”, expecting nothing in return! There may be a lesson hidden in there for me, that occurs to me now. It is not up to me to decide who is most deserving, most in need, etc. If there is a need, and I am given the opportunity to fill that need, I should fill it if I can. It is not my job to decide if the person deserves my help. That is up to God. It is up to me to help where I can.
Holy Lord, you are giving me opportunities to do good. I need not decide if those receiving my help “deserve” it. That is for you to determine. I am thankful. Amen
Becky, transforming
Pic by Bev (Sam)
Like 6:35-36
This is a very difficult ask by Jesus. We all want to help people, but we also want our help to be truly needed and appreciated. Most of our problem with this stems from us wanting to be in control of all we do. BUT, Becky said it perfectly. It is not up to us. HE is on control. If there is a need, we fill it no questions asked. God will sort it all out later.
Prayer: Gracious God, I need to release control and just do as you wish. Amen
Volunteering
Monday, April 15th, 2024
Luke 6:35-36
But love your enemies, and do good, to them and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be son of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Loving people unconditionally is the greatest gift we can give them and ourselves.I am learning that one of the way’s I can achieve personal peace is to let people be who God made them to be rather than try to make them to be who I would want them to be. I try my best to enjoy them through their strengths…
Luke 6:35-36
Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan is the essence of this teaching. Would we turn our back on another human being in desperate need because we perceive them as an enemy? In one study exercise I recall the author has the reader place themselves in the role of the the traveler who was robbed, beaten and left to die. In the Samaritan’s role we were to imagine someone we believed was an enemy. It is a sobering exercise if taken seriously. Stepping out in faith is not without risk. The world is a fallen place and the parable (not in the Bible) of the frog and the scorpion reminds us there are evil people in this world who…