Good morning! How are we faithing? Do you have trouble forgiving people who are bad to you? I'm not talking about random violence but people who crap on you over and over. What are we to do? Do you keep taking the junk they dish out? Step back and look at what is happening and ask a few questions; Are they mean? Are they uninformed? Are they stupid? Are they so buried in their own sin they are lashing out at you? Are they looking to find any kind of attention regardless of the type? Are they lost? Sometimes we need to walk away from people and sometimes not. Sometimes we need to correct and sometimes not. Hear this, We always must pray for those who attack us. There are times when we must cut off relations with people to protect our families but we must not stop praying for them. Look at this;
Luke 7:36-50
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is-that she is a sinner."
Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"
Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
NIV
Do you think those people hung out with that woman? Do you think they associated with her at all? Was that correct or prudent? Jesus showed compassion to her and she showed true grief. She realized her ways were wrong but think about this, may not have known who,how,what to do about changing her life. Jesus showed her the way. Jesus reached out to her faith and propped her up. Jesus forgave her just like he forgave us.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your grace and love that saved wretches like us. Lord we ask protection from those who want to destroy us. Grant us the wisdom and peace so we can see the heart and not judge them. Grant us the wisdom to know if we should cut off contact. Lord we really wish all could come to you and we pray for those who hurt us. Lord help us make sound decisions that are in line with your grace and teachings. Lord we stumble and fall on this issue when we feel threatened. Help us recognise true danger verses a plea for help. Lord protect our kids in Jesus name, Amen
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