THINK THE WORD
…Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long…
THE CHOICE TO FORGIVE
“Your ancestors have also been taught ’Love your neighbours and hate the one who hates you.’ However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them.”, (Matthew 5v43-44, The Passion Translation).
It is natural for us to be tempted to be happy if people who hurt us have a taste of their own medicine. We can call it justice. We can even rejoice that God has punished them on our behalf. In the part of the world where I reside, you will hear the words “God catch am”, meaning God has dealt with him. However, Jesus told us to respond in a different way according to Matthew 5v43-44. He instructed us to intercede for them.
Why would Jesus instruct us to pray for those who cause us pain? People act based on what they know per time. If people do wrong, it means they have the wrong information. They need prayers not only to get the right information but to also allow it to change their perspective. Also hurting people hurt people. We usually treat others the way we see ourselves. Hurting people need our prayers to be healed of their pain and receive the love of Christ.
Praying for our enemies also has healing power for us. You cannot sincerely pray for the wellbeing of someone and remain bitter against them. When we pray for our enemies, we gain the capacity to see them through God’s eyes.
Responding with love is an opportunity for the world to see Jesus in us.
jimiakingbade 