S = 6:32-36 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you?
For even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you?
For even sinners do the same.
And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
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.
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
O = Jesus was redefining the relational economics for the Kingdom of God. The question echoes in the morning air…If we do what we do for others in order to get something, anything, in return we don’t benefit from the kingdom's economy. We settle for earthly economics…but Jesus charges the hearer to go beyond an unregenerate self-focused motivation and treat others to the love, mercy, and grace of God in Jesus.
A = How much of what I do is motivated by an expectation of receiving it back again, whether love, kindness, profit, or even just a show of gratitude? The test is when I don’t get anything good back…do I get mad, frustrated, bitter, or verbally berating the delinquent? Or do I find my reward, my encouragement, in getting to be like my Heavenly Father showing mercy and kindness to the unappreciative?
P = O Lord, thank you for pouring out your love and mercy into my life when I was ungrateful and evil! Let me be able to do the same for others this week! Not that I am asking to be around people like that, but that I simply want to be a person filled to overflowing with your mercy and kindness…for there is great benefit in that! Amen.
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