We live in a multicultural society, where people of different classes and ages hold different opinions on the same thing. It thus presents a challenge to believers who desire to live out God’s call to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44-45). How do we communicate with people with different opinions? What does it mean to accept others?
It is natural and easy to love the like-minded, but to love the enemy and even pray for them, we need divine help.
We have selected 9 articles from Our Daily Bread based on the following three themes to help us reflect on God’s Word and consider the qualities that Christians should have in this chaotic age.
1. Overcome Evil with Kindness
God, You are righteous. Teach me to look to You in this troubled world that is filled with unrighteousness and untruths. Help me to pray constantly for myself, my loved ones, and even my enemies. May Your Holy Spirit fill my heart with Your love. Help me to overcome evil with kindness that I may obey You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
“Love your enemies,” Jesus says, “do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27–28). These challenging words aren’t meant to excuse evil or stop justice from being pursued. Instead, they call us to imitate God (v. 36).
We can only guess as to whether Jonah ever learned to care for the people of Nineveh. Instead we are left to wonder about ourselves. Will we settle for his attitude toward those we fear and hate? Or will we ask God for the ability to love our enemies as He has shown mercy to us?
While hate and the desire for revenge continued to destroy many lives long after the concentration camps were gone, Corrie knew the truth: Hate hurts the hater more than the hated, no matter how justified it may seem.
2. Remember You Have Been Set Free
God, You have set us free from sin. Resentment has grown in my heart because of persecution and the injustices in this world. Renew my heart and mind. Set me free from the burden of hate and help me to put away evil words and to do no evil any more. You have set me free, I am no longer under the bondage of sin and true freedom is mine to enjoy. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
When we ask God through His Spirit to help us forgive, He will come to our aid—even if we take what we think is a long time to forgive. When we do, we are freed from the prison of unforgiveness.
Though Alexander spent many long, heartbreaking years bearing the burden of wrongs inflicted upon him, he wasn’t undone by the evil. Rather than exerting his energy trying to get revenge, he exhibited the posture Peter instructs: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult” (1 Peter 3:9).
Do you feel imprisoned by unforgiveness, saddled with anger, fear, or shame? Know that God through His Son and Spirit can release you when you seek His help. He will enable you to begin the process of untying any ropes and setting you free.
3. Be Gracious to Others
God, You are all loving. In our tumultuous society, grant me grace to offer kindness to those who hold a different view from me, and to those who have hurt me with their words and actions. Give me the courage to take the first step to make peace and to speak the truth in love that together, we may grow in maturity in the likeness of Jesus. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!
Because we all have faults and weaknesses, we should bear with one another and forgive each other when things go wrong (Col. 3:13). We need to be constructive in our criticism and “clothe [our]selves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (v.12 niv).
In the story of the forgiving master, Jesus explained that we forgive not because our offenders deserve it but because we’ve been forgiven. Since we are among those who’ve been forgiven much, let’s stop the damage and share that blessing with others.
She shared how Christ had changed her life, and she sought reconciliation with her dad. That night, Tham put his faith in Jesus and the family was reconciled. A few days later, Tham died and entered into the presence of Jesus—at peace with God and his loved ones.
