Luke 6:35 – Verse of the Day 8/5/14

How do you respond when people do things that hurt you? Are you tempted to hold a grudge? It is tempting for us to consider such people as our enemies. At the same time, it is important to allow the Bible to challenge us when we feel this way and help us to see how much God loves us.

Although not as well known as Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount,” Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” contains Jesus’ essential teachings about the Kingdom of God. This verse is a part of those teachings. True belief means the willingness to love even one’s enemies. Just as God forgave us when we were yet sinners so we are called to do likewise.

We get a snapshot of God’s love for us when we are faced with our own enemies. It is so difficult to forgive, much less to love, a person who has offended us. What infinite love and mercy God showers upon us by forgiving us for so much. As you pray, consider the sheer magnitude of the forgiveness we have in Christ and consider how God might have you demonstrate the same kind of mercy to others.