Returning kindness for cruelty
The 11th Day of Christmas
You shall not murder. ~ Exodus 20:13
This is what I say to all who will listen to me:
Love your enemies, and be good to everyone who hates you. Ask God to bless anyone who curses you, and pray for everyone who is cruel to you. ~ Luke 6:27-28 (CEV)
KEY THOUGHT:
When we live according to God's way we will be kind to cruel people.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, your kingdom stands the world on its head. Thank you for including me in your scheme to overthrow the existing order. For me, the hardest part is loving bad people -- people who are undeserving of kindness -- people who should be put in their place. Help me to embrace your agenda for the transformation of the world -- and your radical way of implementing that agenda. I'm going to look for ways to be kind to the people who least deserve kindness. 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)
