Let Them Curse Me If They Like, But You Will Bless Me!

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Let Them Curse
Me If They Like,
But You Will Bless Me!

Scripture

Psalm 109

²⁸ Then let them curse me if they like,
    but you will bless me!
When they attack me, they will be disgraced!
    But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!

Observation

You and I will at times have people that decide to hurt us and usually it is with hurtful words and at times it might even be to the point of physical harm.David prayed an interesting prayer in Psalm 109 about his enemies.

But rather than that prayer I would recommend what Jesus Christ says about how to deal with our enemies. 

Who is our enemy? 

An enemy is anyone that for what ever reason has chosen to be against us. 

Of course, from the very start you and I must first make sure to ask for forgiveness if we have done anything to hurt the person whether it was intentional or unintentional. 

Jesus says to do this, 

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.”  Matthew 5:44 ff MESSAGE

Our natural tendency is to hurt the person right back to hit them with even more hurtful words than they hurled at us, but that is not the way to respond if we are believers in Jesus Christ. 

I am always reminded when I run into people who are rude, cruel, hurtful, mean, ugly, vicious, and on and on and on, that these people are spiritual sandpaper that God has placed in my life to make and shape me to be more like Jesus. 

And if they were not causing me grief then there would be someone else just like them to continue sanding off my rough edges! Think about that when you encounter your next difficult person(s)!

Application

I will forgive. I will try hard to recognize “spiritual sandpaper” when it comes my way and I will pray for those who hurt me. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we live in a crazy world. I am reminded and I am glad that this is not my home. I am only passing through this place called earth! Help me to love people even when they are not lovable. Help me to be Christ like no matter what. Give me Your heart for the people around me.

Psalm 109

³⁰ But I will give repeated thanks to the Lord,
    praising him to everyone.
 
³¹ For he stands beside the needy,
    ready to save them from those who condemn them.

Daily Bible Reading:  Micah 1,2,3,4; Hebrews 6, Psalm 9, Psalm 109, Proverbs 9

Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!