A Devotional Thought from Matthew 5:43–48
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43–48
Does that fella look like me or what?
Don’t say what, I know he looks like his daddy.
Some folks are just blessed! The pic above was from a fall festival costume contest at church. My youngest son did his Bald Believer impersonation and it was a good enough performance to come away with a prize.
I like it when someone says my children look like me. Just the other day someone saw a picture of me just after high school and said they saw my oldest son’s big smile. I love that one that I love looks like me. I have had a few occasions when I was blessed to hear my daughter looked like me too. Thankfully, she didn’t get my bald head or my giant feet or adam’s apple but there are subtle reminders of me mixed into her beauty.
It is good to know that your youngins carry something of you with them as they go, isn’t it?
Jesus told us in today’s reading how we can be known as the children of our Father in Heaven. He said that we could carry a certain family trait that will mark us as his.
What is the family trait that will reveal the identity of our Dad?
Forgiveness
He said that if we bless those that curse us, do good to those that hate us and if we pray for those that abuse and use us then we look like our Father in Heaven.
Our Father in Heaven pours out his common grace on every person in some way, even those who don’t believe or hate the mention of his name. He sends rain and sunshine to the unjust as well as the just. He reaches out to even his enemies and actively works to save them. Our Lord Jesus even suffered and died to save people who had done him wrong. Is it any wonder that he is called the express image of his Father? He showed us many divine traits but specifically forgiveness.
Want to look like your Daddy? Forgive those that don’t deserve forgiveness.
Speaking as a father myself, if you do, I bet he will be pleased at the resemblance!
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