March 29, Thursday
Thursday, March 29
Luke 6:32-36 – A portion of The Beatitudes
When I read this passage from Luke, I am reminded of the Christian virtue of Mercy. People are always amazed when someone acts out of kindness and mercy, rather than for personal gain! There is such a thing as a “free lunch!” Serving others for no other reason, than to be a good servant of the Lord is what the Christian life is all about! Our heavenly Father wants us to love our enemies, and give without expecting a return.
Our enemies are not necessarily people that are at odds with us, our “enemy” can be a friend or loved one, who can, at times, seem to take advantage of our giving nature! However, once you get into the habit of giving without expecting a return, you will never regret it. It changes the way you look at everything.
Loving your enemies can be hard, but it is the Lord’s way! God is merciful to us all in blessing sinners alike with all His gifts! Everyone enjoys the beauty of nature whether we are believers or unbelievers. The blue sky, the moon, the glory of spring; these are just a few of the gifts of joy in nature experienced by us all. God extends His Grace to all humankind, none of whom are free from sin.
Living Out Lent: The next time you feel taken advantage of, or burdened with someone else’s needs – turn the other cheek and let it go. Don’t expect to get anything in return. That is what Jesus would do. We should strive to do the same.
Jane Hudson Chichetti is a local landscape designer. She is the owner and principal designer of Southern Land Designs.