April 27, 2024 Daily Dose of Discernment

"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may show yourselves to be sons of your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:44-45)

There are Christians who say that because they're not hypocrites, they don't hide their hatred of those who have wronged them. But that's exactly what hypocrisy is. If we are children of God, restored to His likeness, what we should be manifesting is His enemy-loving attribute. When we do, we are being true to ourselves. But if we show our dislike of people we consider enemies, we are being hypocrites, because that’s not the divine nature we are partakers of.

When the leader of a big church organization met with the families of sex abuse victims who harbored anger and animosity against their offenders who were mostly pastors, he told them that while it’s understandable that they’re hurting and resentful, they should not keep their ill-feeling forever. He said everyone gets wounded, some more deeply than others, but all somehow heal. If we keep picking at the scab, we will delay our healing and make ourselves vulnerable to infection and other problems. It’s not easy to let the process take its course, but God’s grace is sufficient for us. And one day we will be able to forgive and love indiscriminately like He does.