Beautiful Birthdays
Author:
May 01, 2019
Beautiful Birthdays
“But love your enemies, do
good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then
your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because
he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” – Luke 6:35, NIV
Every year on June 12th,
Walter throws a birthday party. He invites everyone he’s ever known and gives
each guest a small gift. He provides a cake, live music, and all-you-can-eat
BBQ dinner.
At the end of the party,
Walter steps up to the podium. Then he reveals a perplexing fact—his birthday
isn’t until December. But he considers June 12, 1989 his true “birthday”
because that’s the day he met Jesus.
Before Walter accepted Jesus
as his Savior, he was a member of a white supremacist group. He was in prison
for just about every crime and his heart was filled with deep hate for anyone
that was different.
But it was the persistence of
a local pastor who ministered to the prison that got through to him. Jim was
African-American and he never responded to any of Walter’s racist remarks or
his cruel comments. Instead, he spoke kindly to Walter and prayed for him. When
Walter needed medical care, Jim became his advocate, making sure the other man
was cared for.
Sometimes, God calls us to
love people who aren’t likeable. Sometimes, God asks us to stand in love and
pray for them. But this isn’t something you have to do in your own strength.
Ask God to let His Divine love for this person to flow into your heart and
spill into every area of your life.
God, when others mock me, when they are unkind, when they
hurt me, give me the grace to love them anyway. I can’t do this on my own. I
need You. Fill me up with kindness and grace. Show me how to love my enemies.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
BACK