“You have been taught to love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you this: love your enemies. Pray for those who torment you and persecute you—in so doing, you become children of your Father in heaven. He, after all, loves each of us—good and evil, kind and cruel. He causes the sun to rise and shine on evil and good alike. He causes the rain to water the fields of the righteous and the fields of the sinner.” (Matthew 5:43-45 The Voice)
Lead with love. While we may not change how people act toward us, we are responsible for how we respond! Jesus said they will know we are His disciples by our love!
Our assignment:
Love
Love our enemies
Pray for them
Reflect Jesus
Glorify God
We cannot allow other people’s words and actions to cause us to veer from our course. Our response is love. We might have to do it from a distance, but the response doesn't change.
If Jesus can forgive those who nailed Him to the cross, how can we NOT forgive? If Jesus can choose not to be offended by the entire process of Calvary, how can we be offended because someone didn't speak to us? If Jesus ignored the negative talk and accusations while staying focused on His purpose, why can't we just let it go and keep going, fulfilling God's purpose for our lives?
Be steadfast immovable in your love walk and you will fulfill your purpose.
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose]." (I Corinthians 15:48 AMPC)
This is what love looks like, 1st Corinthians 13:4-8a AMPC:
"Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily."
"It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]."
"It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail."
"Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]."
"Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]."
When we let this Scripture govern our thoughts, words, and actions then we are acting and looking more like Jesus.
Making 1st Corinthians 13:4-8 personal:
"(YOUR NAME) love endures with patience and serenity, (YOUR NAME) love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; (YOUR NAME) love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. (YOUR NAME) love is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; (YOUR NAME) love does not take into account a wrong endured. (YOUR NAME) love does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. (YOUR NAME) love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. (YOUR NAME) love never fails [it never fades nor ends].”
By making this Scripture personal and confessing it daily love will become stronger and rise up faster in you. There is power in the Word of God.
Be Encouraged! ❤
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