Be Merciful
Luke 6:32-36
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to
you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to
you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 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. 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.”
Have you seen the movie Jesus Revolution?
I would have been 11-14 years old at the time and
remember hearing the stories and reading the Time magazine article. Even in
Ohio the effects of the Jesus Revolution reverberated. A hand with the index
finger pointing upward and a cross beside it became the symbol for young
Christians across the country. Our church had a vibrant youth group, and it was
a time of living on fire for Jesus.
When I walked out of the movie with James, Sara,
and Eli my heart overflowed with gratitude to the Californian preacher who saw
those who were different, the hippies, as people whom God loved. Then I
wondered how often I overlook people because they are different from me.
Did you know the flower of Scotland is a thistle? In our country the thistle is considered a weed. Am I seeing weeds where God sees flowers?
In Luke 6, Jesus minced no words about who
Christians should help and care for. He says to love our enemies. I’m guessing
the preacher in California looked on the hippies as enemies or at least
outcasts, but Jesus opened his heart.
Is it easy to love the unlovable? No. Yet, Jesus
is specific. Be kind to everyone.
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