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Theo Tigno•
3/8/2004 11:17 am
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Monday, March 8th 2004 |
Luke 6:36-38
Jesus said to his disciples: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for a friend of mine, for the strength to overcome an addiction through prayer and fasting.
"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" - Sir Isaac Newton
I was talking to a friend of mine this weekend about how we expect others to act the same way we would have acted in a different situation. The image that often comes to mind is when you're holding one item at the grocery store and the person in front of you has a cart full of items, and they ignore the fact that you're holding just a bottle of water...
* Insert any thoughts of condemnation and/or judgment here *
What is the loving act? In all honesty, the person who is in front of you can choose to be merciful; it is their "free will." In the same way that they can choose to be merciful, you can make the same choice. Just as "the man who commits adultery in his heart" commits adultery, the man who condemns a man in his heart condemns and judges them. There are many times when we are called to hold our tongue, but how much greater would it be if you were thankful for this wonderful child of God? Can you accept the situation with gratitude?
Being human, it's pretty hard. There will be many times in our lives when we'll be faced with situations that will challenge us more than this little, insignificant incident. Are you willing to be forgiving? Are you willing to see how their challenge to you is allowing you to grow in holiness (which you should be thankful for)?
The answer in my heart: no. That's why I'm not God. Yet, because we are made in His image and likeness, we should imitate Christ's response in the face of His persecutors. We're all called to holiness, and in enduring our trials with gratitude and acting with mercy, we will understand more and more how much God truly loves us. Take care and God Bless.
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