Daily Devotional: 5/30/2018 - LOADED

"Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:5-6

We constantly have to keep check of what we do or what we do or what we say. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve that God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will." We are suppose to portray the image of Jesus in everything we do. Every word, thought and action has to be checked and has to portray the image of Jesus. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Psalm 141:3 says, "Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." Matthew 15:11 says, "What goes into someone's mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them." I can go on for days with verses that talk about the importance of the tongue. The same goes for the heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." The lips, the mind, and the heart are characters of our soul. What we do, say, think defines us. We have to have a pure mind and heart, we have to have them set on the will, love, and kingdom of God.

Matthew 5:38-48 says, "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 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 the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

 Here is a little excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount, where he talks about an eye for eye and loving our enemies. The Sermon on the Mount is one of the biggest of Jesus's messages and sermons, one of the most researched and talked about. There are some theologians that dedicate their entire study to this sermon. This sermon talks about how we should live our life. We have to show love no matter the  situation we are put in. It is more powerful to respond to hate with love. About 99% of the time the other person will not know what to say in return or how to act. We have to be the anomaly in this cold dark world. Jesus consistently showed love no matter the circumstance. Jesus talked about that if someone slaps you on the cheek we turn them the other, if someone sues us for our shirt we give them our coat as well, if someone asks us to do something we go a step further. This is the main point of it, we have to go that extra step, we have to show the love of Jesus by going that extra mile, taking the time to do something and to do it passed what they asked for. We are to never respond hate with hate, never does two wrongs equal a right.

Luke 10:25-37 says, "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. 'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?' 'What is written in the Law?' he replied. 'How do you read it?' He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and Love your neighbor as yourself.' 'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.' But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' In reply Jesus said: 'A man was going down form Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wound, pouring on oil and wine,. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.' Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'"        

This is the parable of the Good Samaritan. The importance of this parable is that everyone is our neighbor, and that we have to help everyone and we have to love everyone (Leviticus 19:18/John 13:34).  Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." We have to always show kindness and hospitality to everyone, no matter who they are, what they look like, or how they might act. You never know who that person could be. That person could be your next boss, that person could bless you immensely with money or grace, that person could be your next bestfriend or lover, that person can be angel or worker of God. The Greek word for hospitality is philoxenia, xenia translated means "neighbor or stranger" and philo translated means "love"; so hospitality in turn means to "love your neighbor" and that is what we have to do (Service Notes from 5/27/2018).

Matthew 25:35-46 says, "'For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

This is another passage where Jesus emphasizes that we should and have to help everyone. Everyone is Jesus, everyone is a child of God. Everyone is beautifully handcrafted in the image of God. This being we should always help someone, because they are just life you; they are imperfect, they are made in His image, they could be you. We should help always help, talk, and love someone. It was what Jesus did. Like I said before, you never know who you are helping. You going up to them and showing love, might be the one thing they needed to have a bad day turn great, or even bring them to the unconditional and eternal love of Jesus. Be the light in someone's day. Jesus set the example and even told us how to go about things. It is right in front of our face and at our fingertips. We have to be equipped (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and use it. If we do not use it, it is pointless. It is like running into the battle field with a gun, but having no bullets.

Lord, you are amazing. You set the example. You have paved this path for us, be the light to it so that we may follow it. Allow us to have the courage and wisdom to help always, to love always, to never respond hate with hate. Protect our tongue, mind, and hearts from the devil and the hate that the devil breaths. Be with us, help us be the bright light you are in this dark world. I pray this in your son's name, Amen.

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