How to Behave: Part IV
Verses 14 & 15 are so difficult for my human nature to accept. If someone hurts me, I want to hurt them, if someone is mourning and I'm happy, I don't want to be sucked down into a pit of despair with them. Yet we are told to live in peace, return evil for good, rejoice when others are happy and mourn with them in their sorrow. We are to "live in harmony" with each other... how do we do that when someone always wants to pick a fight?
Verses 17 through 21 sum up this answer along with the most basic concept of our Christian faith... Don't take revenge into your own hands... leave it for God. How do we do this practically? Verse 20 says to feed our enemies when they are hungry, give them drink when they are thirsty, in short, treat them as you would your family and friends. Offer shelter when it is needed, clothing or a coat if they are without. Kindness towards a person who doesn't deserve it will make that person think, and hopefully, repent.
This is one of the hardest things to learn, to show God's love to our enemies, to love them despite the wrong they have shown us. I need to think about this some more, find ways to put this into practice in my life.
Hugs & Love
PS I didn't mention verse 16 because it didn't feel as though I was supposed to at this time. I do have thoughts about it and am willing to write up something about it if someone requests it.
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I think the answer to this at times is to completely forfeit who we are for who He is. To ask Him to allow us to see with His eyes, hear with His ears, understand with the mind of Christ, and love with His heart. He doesn't get caught up on all the things that entangle our flesh in those situations. He looks at the big picture. It's like dealing with a child who's angry at the loss of a parent. You are able to look through the anger to see the pain. And you know that the anger will dissolve if you can reach the pain. We can have the love that covers a multitude of sins. Within ourselves we aren't selfless enough to do this...but in Him all things are possible.
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