How Can You Not Do It?

Monday's Devotion (2-7-05)

"Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:9 (KJV)

Here's another common question, "Why should I be nice to them when they treat me like a dog?" The answer is because you have a blessing in store, if you do nice to them anyway. The blessing doesn't come from them, but from the Lord, which is even better! There is none that can bless, like the Lord blesses! When I do follow this rule of giving blessings to those who do bad to me then there is someone who asks, "Why?" The answer is, "I didn't do it because of them, but because the Lord requires it of me and the Lord wants me to show compassion." Next time someone does you wrong and you just don't think you can do good to them, then think that the good you must do is for the Lord and not for them! That makes it a lot easier, it really does. I also believe that it's easier to forgive if you follow this rule and do good to them even though they don't deserve it. Christ did good to us, even though we are undeserving.

There is a great reward for doing this deed. You might ask, "Why?" There is a great reward for doing this because it's not just because you did this deed, but because you are being Christ-like! Every Christian wants to be like Christ, but you can't be like Christ, without doing good to those who do bad to you. When Jesus was arrested, one of his disciples cut a roman guard's ear and Jesus rebuked his disciple and healed the guard... even though the guard was wrongfully arresting Him! Another example of this is when Jesus was on the cross, He was being tortured, mocked and spit on. His words were, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." That will always be one of the most amazing things to me. Only someone who is above man could even think of forgiving people who did those things, but Christ is in us and that is required of us also. The real question is, "How can you not do good to people who do bad to you, when Christ did it for you?"

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this message and for all things. Please forgive us of all our sins and we forgive all those who've wronged us. Please help us to do good to those who do bad to us. Help us not to be like the world, but like Christ. In Jesus name. A-men!

God bless!

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