Abundantly Pardoned

What kind of love are we supposed to have? What kind of love is it that should fill our hearts and spirits and make it easy to love everyone? 1 Corinthians chapter 13 tells us: “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” (NLT) “The Message” translation puts it this way: “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always ‘me first,’ Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.”

Do you know someone who is very difficult to love? Someone you have to be around everyday? Me, too! This person has no regard for anyone else and is very dishonest. She is very difficult to be around, however, I found that compassion can chase away the negative feelings I have for her. Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” Matthew 9:36 says of Jesus, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Compassion brings out the love buried deep in our hearts. Ephesians 5:1 says, “Be imitators of God….” Our God is a God of compassion. Let’s imitate Him.

“See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10 NIV) Sometimes the way God refines us is by placing us with people who are difficult to love. The best way to bring up the best in us is to burn out the worst in us. We have to give in to the Lord’s refinement of us if we are to become pure gold and silver—the Christians He wants us to be. The Refiner’s fire isn’t easy, but it’s so worth it. “…when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10 NIV)