Day 24
Who is it that God is drawing to Him with kindness, the righteous? No! God’s loving kindness is given to those who have turned away from Him. God is also kind to the wicked.
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. (Luke 6:35)
Jesus does not tell us to love only our friends and treat them nicely. He says love your enemies too. Why? Because that is what God is like; we are to follow His example. God is kind to the ungrateful and to those who take His kindness for granted.
Notice how Matthew expresses the kindness of God in the parallel passage of Jesus’ teaching.
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt. 5:44-45)
God does not discriminate! He offers His kindness to everyone. God does not treat His enemies differently than He does His friends. God’s kindness breaks down barriers and boundaries.
"The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." - Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)
"Father, I pray to cast out hatred I harbour for others and love those who have been difficult in my life or have wronged me in any way. Holy Spirit, let your love overflow from me, that I will forgive them through the power of Christ’s love that has been freely given to me. In Jesus’ powerful name, I pray, Amen!"
Day 245 Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 1-5, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Psalm 46 and Proverbs 22:15