Treat Them Better Than How They Treat You!

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” – Psalm 145:8 

You and I cannot pour from empty cups.

I think it’s essential for us to realize that when we lack compassion for others, it’s often because we have not fully grasped the vast mercy of our God.

I’m usually pretty hard on myself. I put a lot of pressure on myself, I have my own foot on my throat nine times out of ten and maybe you do too. I expect myself to be perfect, and I am peeved with myself when I fail to live up to my expectations. And it’s when I find myself in those valleys that I look up and realize that my God doesn’t feel the same way I do.

He is gracious – He treats us much better than we deserve. He is merciful – He spares us from what we do deserve. He is slow to anger – He doesn’t react or get easily irritated. He is compassionate – He looks on us, knowing we are sinful humans that need a savior. And that’s why He sent us Jesus.

When you and I are confronted with the immeasurable grace of our compassionate Father, a God who has provided us a way to be reconciled to Him despite our willful, constant rebellion against Him, it changes the way we look at ourselves.

The second commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves is impossible if we don’t believe that Jesus loves us in the same way. That’s the only way we can have compassion toward people who hurt us, who are different from us, whom we would rather not have anything to do with.

I pray that you live out of a deep understanding and gratitude for the compassion God has toward you – and that through the Holy Spirit, it permeates throughout your life and overflows to everyone you encounter today and every day.

Lord Jesus, I thank You that You are not like me. I can have a short temper, I can get easily irritated, and I don’t always show compassion to those around me, especially people who have offended me. Forgive me for having a hard heart toward people. Help me to better understand the unconditional love that You have for me so I can live it out to those around me. I pray that people might know that I am Your child because of my compassion. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Challenge…

Pay attention when you are hard on yourself. Ask yourself, how does God see me right now? Replace those thoughts with truths from God’s Word. Invite the Holy Spirit to help you look at others the same way.

Sent by tonydegruy@comcast.net powered by

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