Radical kindness
He loves justice and fairness,
and he is kind to everyone
everywhere on earth. ~ Psalm 33:5 (CEV)
But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. ~ Matthew 5:44-45 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Jesus calls us to follow him in leading radically kind lives.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for being so kind to me. I do not deserve your kindness. Yet, you love me along with all your enemies. I, however, have a hard time applying your radical kindness to others. Help me to love those who mistreat me. Help me to care about bad people. I'm going to follow your example because Christ lives in me. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
