Be Kind and Tenderhearted

 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Ephesians 4:31

     Did you know that our belief in Jesus wipes our slate clean, past, present and future? Our sins are washed away, white as snow and our righteous and holy God now sees us through the sacrifice of His Son. With that type of forgiveness, with that kind of love that engulfs our very souls, with no more fear of death, how can we live with anger, rage and bitterness against anyone?

     You may be thinking, “But you don’t know what they did.” We want to see justice served in our lifetimes, but God tells us that vengeance is His alone. (see Romans 12) In fact we are asked to bless those that persecute us and to forgive others not just seven times but seven times seventy! (see Matthew 18 and Luke 17)

     The next verse in Ephesians 4 gives us a prescription on how to avoid anger, rage, bitterness and malice.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

Dear Father God,

Through Jesus, You have forgiven us. How can we do any less? Forgiveness breaks us free from bondage. Kindness and compassion can be difficult when we are angry. Show us how to be merciful.

In Jesus name

Amen