Yesterday while out walking, Ruth and I heard a kitten crying in a storm sewer. It took three firefighters to get her out, but when they did, we were told that once turned over to animal control, it would likely be euthanized. Even though the cat looked barely alive, was infested with fleas, malnourished, and had spent at least a day in a sewer immersed in and surrounded by who knows what, we chose to bring it home and show it love. And it got me thinking. All of us are far uglier in the eyes of Heaven than the most pathetic creature we could ever find. We were created as glorious creatures, and we traded that glory for the hideousness of sin – for war, hatred, greed, lust, and on and on. Yet God still chose to love us and offer us the opportunity to regain the health we lost and to become a part of His family. And as a part of that family, we will have to deal with others who are in the same difficult process of being restored. The next time you’re tempted to write off a brother or sister in Christ because of a wrong (or wrongs) they’ve done to you, remember – love and friendship are not things offered due to merit, but are a remnant of the image of God still within us. When we choose not to love because of the flaws of another, it only proves our own remaining defectiveness; not theirs. And while it is often hard to love a creature so defective and deficient, just be mindful that God chooses to do so for you every moment. As the word says: “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates his brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” (1John 5:19-21) -P. Dave
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 13:25:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015