Romans 12:9-21
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ No, ‘if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Reflection
I can remember so many discussions in a Saturday Morning Men's Group about how to deal with loving the other guy you just can't stand. I can remember the awareness we all had that even "that other" guy was created by God and loved by God enough that God sent Jesus into this world to save "that other" guy as well as ourselves. I can remember the struggle we all go through with caring and loving the enemy. It's easy to love the guys in our Saturday Morning Men's Group. We all know one another and share our lives and emotions. We all understand the differences in each other and even our differences in beliefs that we can't understand in one another. Yet we agree to accept one another anyway.
But, oh how difficult it is away from the Saturday Morning Men's Group to accept the differences of "that other" guy! Yet we struggle to do such in our lives.
It's not about us, it's about God's love for all the people of this world in which we live.
This passage seems to speak to me about this subject and drive home the need to not give up our faith but continue in the faith that God has instilled in us and take that faith and love of God to all that God gives to us each day... even "that other" guy.
Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrGZmTlOCr4
Prayer
Lord, help me to see your love for "that other" guy that I too may live out a life of love for him through what you see and not through what I judge... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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