Luke 6:27-31 emph.27-28

“But I tell you who hear me: ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you”.

In the 2012 London Olympics Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Warren Weir three (3) Jamaicans each ran in the 100 m race and won gold, silver and bronze respectively.  This was a first for Jamaica and oh the excitement it caused Jamaicans at home and abroad.  What was even more remarkable was that this was the first Olympics for the silver and bronze medallists.

For me what stood out was that each athlete, although natural rivals, respected each other’s skills and abilities in perfecting their craft.  After all they were training partners knowing each other’s capability.  However, on the appointed day each was determined to run his own race, to be the best he could be.  Each ran the race set before him to obtain the prize.

True respect for all comes when, taught by God and secure in our God-given identities, we acknowledge that each of us has our individual roles to play in advancing the welfare of the whole human race.  This acknowledgement will enable us to accomplish our God-given assignments using the wisdom and courage of our minds and the strength and vigour of our bodies in the service of our fellow world citizens.  It will drive us to use the love and loyalty of our hearts to love, do good, bless and pray for those who go out of their way to become our enemies; hating, cursing and mistreating us.  God wants us to cultivate so much true respect for them so that we convey the opposite treatment that they meet out to us.

Let us go out today and seek out and show true respect to those who deserve it the least.  Like the Good Samaritan, let us expend ourselves and our resources on those classic enemies of ours who need our help. Let us each run the race set before us in order to obtain the prize.

PRAYER: Father, we want to connect with what you are doing. Forgive us when we lack true respect for our fellow men because we see them through human eyes instead of our Heavenly Father’s eyes.  Give us the grace to find the good in things when it is virtually impossible and to be the source of the help needed by those trampled on by society. Help us to be your Boaz, your kinsman redeemer for the downtrodden, bitter and hopeless.  We pray all this in Jesus’ name.  AMEN.