Target Point, Vol. 28 of 31 Today's Verse/Thought: Forgive and Forget
You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. . . . I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. Matthew 5: 38, 39, 44, 45
Life Implication:
From the corporate level to the family level . . . loving your enemies is just not the name of the game. The hardest thing in the world is to pray for those who spitefully use us. We want to defend ourselves to the nth degree. We want revenge! But properly managed anger NEVER PAYS BACK EVIL FOR EVIL.
A friend of mine has a son who has been spitefully used over and over in a work setting. Recently a new job possibility came along for my friend's son. Even though the "spiteful use" of the son was God's way of preparing this humble hearted young man for a possible new venture-my friend had to pour out his heart before the Lord in repentance-for as the father of his son he was literally relishing the thoughts of the new position bringing revenge on behalf of his son.
No matter how ugly or mean spirited or awful someone is, whether they've committed murder, rape, or the like, you need to GET THIS!!! God loves that person every bit as much as He loves you.
Life Application:
To help you apply forgiveness to your life, let me simply tell a story. Corrie ten Boom was a young woman when she was hauled off to Aushwitz with her sister for hiding Jews during the terrible time of the Holocaust. Her sister, Betsy, died there under the inhumane, inhuman, terror of several Communist guards. Many years later, Corrie came face to face with one of those guards. The guard had come to Christ not long after the horror of those days. Corrie had to make a decision at that moment whether or not to forgive this man that had wreaked incredible desecration upon her life. In a moment of choice, Corrie, with God's help, reached out and shook hands with the former guard and forgave him of his atrocities. At that moment, Corrie was released in her spirit. She no longer had to carry the heavy burden of hate in her heart. SHE CHOSE NOT TO PAY BACK EVIL FOR EVIL, and God freed her.
Tomorrow In TargetPoint:
Worms and Butterflies