Give Him praise as you read His Word today. Open it up with the link above.
Fools: People who
reject or ignore God. They are corrupt and their actions are evil.
Fools annoy us, frustrate us, hurt us, and try to make out
that they are the smart ones and we are so idiotic as to need a crutch to lean
on. They say our faith is a sham and they question our integrity.
David certainly had his hands full of them. Saul chasing him in the desert and his
children fighting for his throne. He
knows God holds the future of the fool and it isn’t a good one. In fact, he asks God to hurry up and triumph over them.
Do as you promised and put an end to them.
Psalm 54:5 NLT
He was expressing his true feelings, the whole maddening
wave of emotions. Come on God... vindicate
me.
Surely we feel those emotions today when we have been
wronged. Frustration, anger, sometimes hate for the way we have been treated.
How then do we handle enemies? What do our eyes see when we look at
them? Can we bring ourselves to pity
them for their misunderstanding of the truth and the judgment they will
receive one day?
Jesus gave us a plan of action, one that shows compassion. It also reminds us we too were once lost, unbelieving, in need of a Savior, and the forgiveness He brings.
“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.”
Matthew 5:44-48 NIV
Our response then, to the “fools,” the evil, the unbelievers,
should be to show truth in love through our words and actions. We need to pray for them, petition God to soften
their hearts, and ask Him to use us to help them find the path of the wise,
those who put their trust in God.
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who
asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect…”
1 Peter 3:15 NIV
We can do this in the hope of making an enemy a friend, a
fellow Believer, and saving them from the punishment they will one day receive
from God.
Father God, teach me, grow me, to love the fools who reject You.
Use me to love them as You do and be a light to lead them to You.
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