Applying Understanding

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. - Matthew 5:44

This was one of my granddaughters' memory verses. As we were practicing it one morning, I realized from the look on Miss Personality's face, that she didn't know what an enemy was so I asked her and she said "no". I explained that an enemy was someone who was mean to you. Then I told her that God wants us to love and be nice to people even when they are mean to us and He wants us to pray for them.

She looked a bit surprised and said "Why!?". I explained that when we are nice to people who are being mean, it helps to change them so that they will be nicer. I said that sometimes it takes a little time, but if we keep being nice it will help that person to change.

Computer Girl was behind us listening to the conversation and suddenly said "Like the Beast!" They had watched Beauty and the Beast just before this conversation and she made the connection.

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. - Proverbs 2:6

A few weeks later when I went to pick up Computer Girl from her Sunday School class, the teacher asked me who "so and so" was. I don't remember the name she used so I'll call her Addie. She explained that the kids made cards that day that they were to give to someone they knew and that Computer Girl said it was for someone named Addie. I figured it was one of her friends. On the way home from church I asked Computer Girl who Addie was and she told me it was a girl who was mean to her. She said that she wanted to give her a card to help her learn to be nice. *Big Smile*

Her action makes me stop and think about my own response to those people who have crossed my path and have not been very nice to me. Do I lash out at them? Do I hold a grudge? Do I seek revenge? Or do I apply scripture to the situation? Praying for, and doing acts of kindness to those who have hurt us is difficult, but it keeps our own hearts pliable for the Lord to shape into His likeness.

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child  will lead them. Isaiah 11:6

Join me at Titus 2 in Action today...

"A girl needs to be so lost in God, that the guy is going to have to seek HIM to find her!" ...Maya Angelou