Genesis 15; Genesis 16; Genesis 17; Luke 6
“Spiritual Sandpaper People”
Scripture
Luke 6
27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 36 You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Observation
God always places “spiritual sandpaper” in our lives! What is spiritual sandpaper – PEOPLE! You might even call them “enemies” just as Jesus as done in Luke 6. Think about the people in your life right now and ask yourself, “Out of all the people that I relate to on a regular basis who drives me crazy?” They are your spiritual sandpaper.
I had someone in our church that was very upset with me. Every time I tried to greet her during the worship service with a shake hand she would turn away from me and leave me with my hand extended in her direction dangling in mid air! Talk about an awkward moment for the pastor! But I didn’t give up and every time she was in the service I would still try to greet her just like I greeted everyone else.
I saw her in a worship service not too long ago and I once again went up to greet her and I extended my hand and this time she didn’t turn away but she took my hand and she let me know that she had been praying for me.
God places difficult people in our lives to smooth out our rough edges. They are our “spiritual sandpaper”. If we don’t learn how to handle our relationship with them and we don’t learn the lesson that God is trying to teach us then you can be assured that God will bring more “spiritual sandpaper people” into our lives to get the job done. His goal is to make us more Jesus!
Jesus said…
I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. … 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Application
I will continue to love the difficult people that God brings into my life. How about you?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to love my enemies. Help me to do to others I as would like them to do to me. I desire to be more like Jesus and if it takes “spiritual sandpaper” in my life for that to happen then I welcome those difficult relationships. You are Worthy of Praise. You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Mighty is Your Name!
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