05/19/2024
The troublemakers in our lives... E.M. Bounds spoke to this subject in his devotional this morning. He began by saying "Some troubles are human in origin. They arise from secondary causes. They originate with other people, but we are the sufferers." This is true, many of our day to day problems are caused by those around us. In life we will run across those who do us harm; some out of meanness, and others while trying to advance themselves at all cost. I have had my fair share of bullies in my life that were so full of anger that it was hard to see a glint of good in them, and I have also fallen victim to those whose great desire to advance themselves have hurt innocent people in the process. So how do we deal with this fact? Do we ask God to curse them, or perhaps to destroy them? Well Jesus tells us something much different... we are to love them.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Matthew 5:44-45 KJV
You are probably thinking that this sounds hard, or impossible to do. How can I possibly love that person who is harming me and quite possibly my family? How can I love such a man or woman; someone who treats me so horribly whenever we meet? Well it isn't easy because our very nature is fallen and at times we aren't a whole lot better than they are. There is a smidgen of that same need to advance ourselves, and an iota of disgust for that person we just don't like, that lives within each of us. The difference comes in our ability to overcome those tendencies, but if we keep our eyes on Jesus we will ultimately find the strength to do this, and to do it abundantly. Furthermore, by loving our enemies (or adversaries), we are banking up treasures in heaven, and perhaps saving the souls of others as well.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 KJV
Several years ago I had a situation with a boss. His sights were set on higher positions within the company, but he perceived me as a threat... So he methodically began to mistreat and deride me. It would have been very easy to ask the Lord to strike him down, but instead I prayed for him each day. In answer to my prayers God opened the eyes of my workmates and their spirituality was increased by seeing Jesus in my actions. Later another position became available and I was able to move away from my tormenter, but the burden I carried in my prayers for this person remained. God had a plan for him, and He continued to strengthen my faith in the process.
Are there those in your life who are human sources of trouble? If so, pray for them, and pray for God to give you the ability to love them. When you have loved them for some time you might even find yourself liking them... And what a blessing that would be. You see, Jesus didn’t tell us to like our neighbors, He told us to love them.
So, whether it is the CEO of our company who is laying off workers, a family member who pushes all of our buttons, a kid on the playground who has singled us out for harassment, or a coworker who likes to talk about other people... we should pray for them, and as we do, let’s ask God to give us His grace in our dealings with them. Most of all, as we pray for the troublemakers in our lives let’s ask God to forgive them, and then let’s forgive them ourselves. Of equal importance, let’s ask the Lord to change and save their lives, just as he has changed and saved ours. Grace and mercy are wonderful gifts whether we receive them ourselves or give them willingly to others.
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Colossians 3:12-14
Prayer:
Father, thank you for giving us the ability to love not only our neighbors, but our enemies too. Help us Lord to separate the way we feel towards their actions as fallen men and women, and to love the soul within them that you wish not to lose. Thank you Father for the way we feel inside when we are successful in doing this. Thank you for the peace we feel within ourselves, and the reflection of grace we see as we look in the mirror each morning. Thank you for our ability to love, and like, the person who is looking back at us. Help us Father to see a glimmer of what you see in our hearts as we look into the hearts of others. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who is full of mercy and grace, and who saw something in each of us that was worth saving; even while we were yet sinners. We are humbled by your gift of grace, and how your Son Jesus suffered so terribly to deliver it to us. We hear Him as he says “forgive them Father for they know not what they do”, even as he hangs dying on Calvary, and are convicted by this. We look at the harm we receive at the hands of others and ask ourselves why is it that we find it so hard to forgive them for the lesser harm they have perpetrated against us. Help us Father to discover the love that lies deep within us, and which desires to reveal itself through grace, and forgiveness. Bless us when we love our neighbors and enemies by taking away the hatred, anxiety, and the physical harm that comes to us by feeling such continuous bitterness. Smooth the wrinkles around our eyes that are left by prolonged hatred, and replace them instead with the upturned lines of a loving smile that come to make its eternal home there. Today is the day that you have made, and we ask that you teach us to rejoice and be glad in it… give us joy despite the efforts of the world to keep us from it. Open our minds to the physical and spiritual benefits of loving all those around us, and circumcise our hearts so that your love can find a willing and easy home within us as we obey Jesus in this way. Look at us Abba, and see the hope we have in loving as you do, then pour it mercifully over us each day.
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:35-36 ESV
Rich Forbes