Read Romans 12:21, 5:6-10

Have you ever been in a situation or heard of a situation that brought forth any emotion except that of love, grace or respect?

I hope I am not the only one. 

Living in a broken, fallen world is just plain hard and sometimes we may not react or respond the way we need to. I am guilty and often find myself repenting of this. 

For me, a big stressor in my life is work. Working in healthcare is by no way easy, but at the same token, going through a pandemic and the consequences of that has made it more difficult.  

I often find myself responding to those around me with frustration or annoyance, or even at times anger. However, I then quickly realize that I am giving the enemy exactly what he wants and I then try to remember to surrender it all to the Lord and allow Him to shine through me.

As Paul tells the Romans in 12:21:

“Do not overcome evil with evil, but overcome evil with good”.

That right there is what I think most of us followers of Jesus forget. Though our priorities and perspectives are locked on following Jesus, we can’t help but give into what happens in the world around us and react. I am the first one to raise their hand if asked “who of you have responded unholy today to a frustration?” It’s easy to do. It’s harder to stop and take a breath and just invite the Lord into the situation. Yet, if we are followers after Jesus, we are called to be holy, to be set a part.

How will someone see Jesus if all they see is me?

Jesus died for everyone. Not just those who choose Him. As Paul reminds us in Romans 5:6:

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly”.

That is all. 

If I am called to be a living sacrifice, If I am called to be set apart, shouldn’t I exam my life and see where I am not measuring up? Where am I not above reproach? Where, or who at work do I need to change my attitude, reactions, responses, words?

I want you to think of the hardest person for you to love…or tolerate…

Jesus died for them. 

Don’t you see? We aren’t special because we chose to follow after Him. We are special because He calls us special. We are loved and holy and unique because that is what He calls us. He has called that worst person to that as well.

The difference is choice.

If you will not be Jesus to that person, who will?

Who will show the love and grace that Jesus has to offer them? Who will not respond like the rest of the world around them, but in turn see them with the eyes of Jesus? 

May we remember this about ourselves, as well as those around us:

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Kelly Lawson