Wheres the Love

Nowadays, people seem to use whatever excuse to do something they know is wrong.  People are quoting scripture and saying I have to do this.  First off, the New Testament is about love, grace, forgiveness, helping, humbleness, meekness, acknowledging that you are like everyone else a sinner.  Nowhere in the New Testament does it say go out and destroy your enemy.  In fact it says repay evil with good.

Romans 12:17-21 New International Version (NIV)

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

You may be thinking, yeah yeah yeah.  If someone does something to me or my family, I am going to do something to them.  I too have had those thoughts and as a man I am sure it is often a thought of men who’s instinct is to protect.  However, killing someone after the fact is not protection, that is taking the law into your own hands and God has already addressed that.  If you are protecting someone, then that will happen during the course of the person trying to hurt you or your family, not afterwards.

However, it seems more like this is happening:

2 Timothy 3:1-5 New International Version (NIV)

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

I pray that you are able to love those even when you think you should not.  I pray that instead of acting like that mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, that you act more like below:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 New International Version (NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

I pray that you can see when you are acting evil and not in love. I pray that you have wisdom to see how God wants you to act.  In Jesus name I pray for this, Amen.

Updated: February 5, 2016 — 5:00 am