Be Merciful, Just As Your Father Is Merciful

LUKE 6:35-36
“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
”‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:35-36‬ ‭NKJV‬
‬https://www.bible.com/114/luk.6.35-36.nkj

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What does it mean to be merciful or to love your enemies?
Love is more than kind words or a feeling; it is an action and a duty of care.
To be merciful, is to be kind, forgiving, and to withhold punishment deserved to those under one’s power.
God is merciful to all who believe on Him, for He more than simply forgave all people, He actually took the punishment we sinners deserve on a cross.
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭19‬-‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
The practice of loving one’s enemies is modelled by God Himself. We are all sinners, and yet God continues to meet all our needs. In fact, He gave His life that we may live. That is an action of care toward His enemies (sinners) above all else. Jesus told us, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
‭‭John‬ ‭15:13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Furthermore , He said, ““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But 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; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:43-48‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
To love one’s enemies, does not mean you must socialise with him or her, or make them your friends. Nor is it an excuse join them in sin. But rather, is a choice to be merciful as Christ is merciful to all who believe.
It is an action of care toward those in need when they are unable to help themselves. It is those loving actions that shine for Christ.
Therefore my brethren, “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25:21-22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My brothers and sisters, your one simple act of kindness, may save a soul or indeed many; it may bring a sinner to the feet of Jesus Christ in repentance, and then through him, many many more.
I tell you the truth, love is a weapon of mass destruction against the enemy, and fuels mercy, forgiveness, and kindness, but without it, we are nothing.
Therefore my beloved, listen to Paul’s words.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.