Day 14 – He is Merciful

I have lived this life long enough to know that relationships are messy. A great number of the struggles and tragedies we will deal with comes through the doors of interpersonal relationships. The drama and the ease with which misunderstanding can develop between people is distressing. To make matters worse it can be done and displayed for all the world to see on social media. It is far too easy to be removed from truly seeing and hearing people. It causes us to distance our hearts from them. The damage is staggering and disturbing. Jesus knew that we struggle with relationships. In Luke 6 Jesus gets his preach on and launches into a full-on wrestle match with the hearts of men and women listening. He said things like “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” He goes on to topics about dealing with people stealing from you, not wanting back what you lend, judging others, forgiveness, giving, logs in eyes, the fruit your life bears, and building a good foundation. This whole chapter rips our self-righteous attitudes of how people better “treat me” to shreds!

I often tell myself and the people I am close to this saying, “you teach people how to treat you!” What I allow will continue. What I enable will remain. How I deal with it matters! Boundaries are good, beat downs are not! A boundary means that the one guy on facebook whose every post will throw you through the roof and start an online WWE match needs to be unfollowed. It’s time to wise up! Boundaries are not for “those” people. They are for you! Your response to them needs a fence.

Luke 6:35-36 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. ³⁶ Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Jesus wanted to confront our hearts about people. God’s way is not our way. His logic is not our logic. When He would be merciful we would ensue war! Our ability to get offended by people is so extensive. I had a teenage girl walking home from school throw her hands up with snarled lip in response to my passing glance. She was offended that I was looking at her saying back to me” what are you looking at?” What she didn’t know was that I thought she was beautiful. We can be so lovely on the outside, and so well put together but our heart attitudes reveal our true face every time. –Tweet This!

It’s time to wrestle with the hard words of Jesus and these heart attitudes.

PRAYER: God, help me when I break out “my rights” attitude when dealing with other people. Let me see it, God. Let me see the truth because I know that even though it will suck to see it I will be set free by the truth. Work mercy into my heart! 

Have you been in social media arguments lately over political things and forgotten that the people behind the screen are the ones Jesus loves too? Turn to God. His face to your face. See what great mercy He has had for you then give it away to others.

Thanks for Listening,

Starla