Read
–27–
15Don't be a cruel person
who attacks good people
and hurts their families.
16Even if good people
fall seven times,
they will get back up.
But when trouble strikes
the wicked,
that's the end of them.
–28–
17Don't be happy
to see your enemies trip
and fall down.
18The Lord will find out
and be unhappy.
Then he will stop
being angry with them.
Reflect
This passage may sound straightforward, but when put into practice it can become more of a challenge. We all want to be “good people” who offer a helping hand to others, whether it’s through making soup at our local soup kitchen or paying for the person’s order behind us in the drive-thru line. But when someone hurts us, moving past it without harbouring any ill-will can be tricky.
Our world today talks a lot about “karma.” When a person does a decidedly tasteless act, people say, “Karma will sort that out.” But when we follow Jesus, this cannot be our answer. God decides what happens to that person and it’s really none of our business. Harbouring resentment for this individual and quietly smiling when they eventually misstep or fall may be human nature, but it’s not God’s will for us. Forgiving those who wrong us as quickly as possible is God’s will for us (Mathew 6:14).
We live in a fallen world. We are all human and imperfect. God loves us despite this and we must in turn love those around us in spite of their imperfections, faults and hurtful acts. We can all use forgiveness. It’s the beautiful gift of grace that we have been given as followers of Christ and it’s our duty to extend it to others as well.
Respond
Heavenly Father, thank you for forgiving our sins. Please help us extend forgiveness to those who have wronged or hurt us, unburdening our spirits and filling us with joy as we do so. In your holy name we pray, Amen.
Julie Fitz-gerald
Julie Fitz-Gerald is a freelance journalist, writer and editor based in Uxbridge, Ontario. She has a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Ryerson University and writes about diverse topics from faith to food to clean water. As a regular contributor to Faith Today, as well as numerous trade publications, she is inspired by the stories she gets to tell. Julie’s business has grown over the years to include corporate writing and editing services, ghost writing and book editing.