To Love All

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. – (Matthew 5:44-45, NIV)

But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. – (Matthew 5:44-45, ERV)

But I tell you this: love your enemies. Pray for those who torment you and persecute you – in so doing, you become children of your Father in heaven. He, after all, loves each of us – good and evil, kind and cruel. He causes the sun to rise and shine on evil and good alike. He causes the rain to water the fields of the righteous and the fields of the sinner. – (Matthew 5:44-45, VOICE)

Though few of us have experienced persecution like the early church, we all have experienced unkindness, irritation, and attitudes that we do not appreciate. As a middle school teacher, I am reminded daily of the need to pray for my students. The unkindness they display to others is usually a response to unkindness that they have received. At that age, one typically gives what they get. If I can show kindness, goodness and grace, perhaps a seed of the same will be planted in them. It requires God’s grace to extend the same to those who are all over the place when they are meant to be engaged. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us in His love, and depend on Him to show us how to love all those whom we encounter in the same way that He loves us all.

Show us, Lord Jesus,

How to choose love all;

Extend Your goodness,

Let love be installed.

Grant us Your patience,

And Your kindness too;

Despite what we get,

Let us reflect You.

Please grant us the grace,

To love as You do;

Be gracious and kind,

So good is shown true.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to love as You love. Thank You that there are no exceptions to whom we should give kindness and grace. Thank You that You love us all, no matter who we are, where we have been, or what we have done. Forgive us for our lack of patience and grace. Grant us wisdom as to how we are meant to love those around us. Lead us in Your love so that all feel valued and known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for Your goodness and grace for us all and seek You to love likewise. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. – John 13:34

Pray for Problematic People

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. – (Matthew 5:44, HCSB)

But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. – (Matthew 5:44, ERV)

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who harass you. – (Matthew 5:44, CEB)

When Jesus was teaching His disciples on the mountaintop, He gave them specific instructions about how they were to love. Incredibly, Jesus modeled this sort of love in everything that He said and did. Even when He was hanging on the cross, He prayed for God to forgive the ones who put Him there. If Jesus can pray for those who persecuted Him and ultimately put Him to death, we can pray for those who treat us badly, irritate us, mess with us, or just plain annoy us with their behavior. As a middle school teacher, I am provided the opportunity to do this daily. Some students are still struggling to behave in a way that is conducive to teaching and learning. Each day I pray for my students and for the day on my way to school, and most days, I am challenged to love within the first five minutes of my first period class. Though exhausting, and often exasperating, I know that I continue to be called to pray and choose to love. May we ever seek the Lord to strengthen and equip us to love and pray for those who are the most difficult.

Lord, help us to love,

To seek You and pray;

For strength and courage,

Each and ev’ry day.

Grant us Your wisdom,

The words we need hear;

To love people well,

And trust You are near.

Lead us in Your love,

To pray and to give;

Grace, hope and Your love,

Each day that we live.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to love and pray for all people. Thank You that you modeled this perfectly, for You continued to love and pray for those who persecuted You and crucified You. Forgive us for the times that we act as though we are exempt from this command because somehow people’s unkindness justifies us to do the same. Teach us how to love best and give us the words to pray for all who are difficult to love. Lead us each new day to pray and to trust in Your provision for the wisdom and strength to love well. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You in prayer and trust Your provision to love all. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

The Lord of Hosts says this: Make fair decisions. Show faithful love and compassion to one another. – Zechariah 7:9

Everything With Love

And do everything with love. – (1 Corinthians 16:14, NLT)

 

Everything should be done in love. – (1 Corinthians 16:14, CEB)

 

And whatever you do, do it with kindness and love. – (1 Corinthians 16:14, TLB)

 

Let love prevail in your life, words, and actions. – (1 Corinthians 16:14, VOICE)

 

 

We are called to love. If we love others, our motivation for all that we do – our words, actions and our very lives, will be laden in love. For those who love us well, this is an easy call to answer. However, when we are met with unkindness, abrasiveness or seeming rejection, it is far more difficult to decide to do everything with kindness and love. Incredibly, when we choose love anyway, we often discover that what we perceived was not reality. Sometimes, people are completely guarded due to their own past hurts and are not willing to extend kindness until kindness is demonstrated toward them. Making the first move can create opportunity for love to prevail where it before may have failed. May we ever choose to do everything with love and kindness, just as Christ does so lavishly unto us. Let every word, deed and our very lives be an instrument to make His love tangible to all.

 

Let us choose to love, 

As we’re called to do;

For kindness given,

Can lead to breakthrough.

In places where love,

Has clearly not been;

Can change by small acts,

Persistence will win.

For a life of love,

In word and in deed;

Is hard to reject,

For those who have need.

In everything,

Let love lead the way;

For our love matters,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we can love because You first loved us. Thank You that You call us to do everything with love. Thank You that as we do, You take our lives of love and reach others in ways that makes Your love tangible. Forgive us for not doing all things with kindness and love. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would let love prevail in our words, actions and every aspect of our lives. Show us how to do everything in love as we interact with those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we choose kindness and love in all things. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. – James 5:11

To Overcome Offenses

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. – (Proverbs 25:21-22, NIV)

If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch; if he’s thirsty, bring him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness, and God will look after you. – (Proverbs 25:21-22, MSG)

Is your enemy hungry? Buy him lunch. Win him over with your kindness. Your surprising generosity will awaken his conscience and God will reward you with favor. – (Proverbs 25:21-22, TPT)

 

 

When we choose to give good to those who are not good to us, there is a softening on both sides. Often, it makes our hearts more tender toward the offender, and the heart of the one who chose unkindness toward us, to see us in a different light. Though I don’t see others as enemies, I do try to catch myself when I am hurt or offended by the words or actions of another. “How can I respond in kindness, despite that which I have been given?” This is not always an automatic reaction, and there are some offenses that make responding in love far more difficult. We are all a work in progress, and God’s grace is far greater than our own. When we seek Him for the strength and wisdom to respond according to His will, the outcome is far better than if we simply react. May we ever pursue the Lord and His love for people, so that we may surprise others with goodness and generosity that is not necessarily deserved.

 

When we receive rude, 

Let’s love anyway;

As others choose hurt,

May we walk God’s way.

Generosity,

Extended with grace;

Can change the outcome,

Create new safe space.

For God will reward,

A generous heart;

Despite what’s given,

His grace He’ll impart.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when we choose to love as You love us, despite what we are given by others, You intervene and move in the hearts of people. Thank You that while we were yet Your enemies, You did this for us, as You showed us Your kindness and grace, and brought us to a place where we could know and understand the depth of Your love. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to choose to love and extend kindness to those who have not been kind to us. Teach us to trust You more, as You guide and direct our steps with Your wisdom and grace if we are willing to walk in Your way. Show us how to love the people around us, even those who make loving difficult. May many come into a lasting relationship with You, as they become aware of Your goodness and grace. Be glorified O God, as we choose love, regardless of what we are given, as You first loved us. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. – Proverbs 11:25

Watching Our Words

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. – (Ephesians 4:29, NLT)

When you talk, don’t say anything bad. But say good things that people need – whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you. – (Ephesians 4:29, ERV)

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word is a gift. – (Ephesians 4:29, MSG)

 

What we say, matters. If we watch our words and speak good things that encourage and help others grow, then we will be a blessing to all who hear. We are commanded to love, and one way that we can love well, is to speak in ways that help the hearer, not in ways that drag others down. Words are a gift, and it is our charge to use them wisely. May we ever self-edit and choose to speak out only the words that He grants us to help, rather than spew out things that offend or bring others down. Let our words bring life and hope and love, just as His words do for us.

 

The words that we speak, 

Are meant to bring life;

To help others grow,

Bring an end to strife.

Our words have power,

So we must choose well;

Speak out words of life,

That of God’s love tell.

Keep far from speaking,

Unkindness or rude;

Let all that we say,

Lift up and renew.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your every word to us is good and draws us nearer to You so that we may grow stronger in all that You call us to do. Forgive us for giving voice to things that do not edify others. Teach us how to trust You more, so that we would depend on You to grant us the sort of words that are good and helpful, building others up in their faith. Show us how to love others with the words that we speak, so that we may offer Your goodness to all those with whom we have conversation. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we watch our words and choose to speak good things that help others grow stronger. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78

 

Soul Sweetening Speech

Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. – (Proverbs 16:24, NLT)

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. – (Proverbs 16:24, NIV)

 

The words we choose matter. When we opt to offer kindness, not only are we building others up, but we are actually extending light and life where darkness and death try to take hold. The world is full of negativity and unkindness, so our choosing to speak with grace and kindness is extending the very light and life that Christ gives to us. Let us offer kind words to all whom we encounter, as we have the opportunity to bring encouragement to souls and health to bodies, simply by offering the words that well up within us as we listen to the Lord.

 

Let our words be kind,

Wherever we go;

For words we choose speak,

Do more than we know.

Our words can give life,

Bring health to the soul;

Make what was dark, light,

And the broken, whole.

Go forth in kindness,

Let the Lord’s light shine;

Offer a kind word,

May His heart be mine.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You speak kind and gracious words unto us, because You love us without limits. Thank You that You call us to go and do likewise. Forgive us for wielding words that do not bring light nor life to those around us. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would listen to Your leading, and speak the gracious and kind words that You place on our hearts to those around us. Help us to love others well, so that they may see You in us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we extend kind words to all whom we encounter. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Because of the tender mercy of our God, …the rising sun will come to us from heaven. – Luke 1:78