A women getting up from a staircase

 

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Helping the hurting (2)

11 May 2019
‘“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.’

Sometimes we can criticise people because of what they’ve been through in life. In some cases it’s because of what they have done to others, and in some cases because of what others have done to them. We might judge them based on what they’ve done, or how they’re acting now. People who are hurting often do things in reaction to the hurt they’re feeling. We need to try and see the potential in people, and see them how God sees them. We should never write people off as being too broken or too messed up for God to use. The apostle Paul writes, ‘I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it’ (Galatians 1:13 NIV). Paul had a criminal record. He had killed people because of their faith. Yet God used him to write half the New Testament, spread the news about Jesus, and establish the church. The Bible says, ‘God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable’ (Romans 11:29 NIV). God never cancels our calling and He never withdraws the spiritual gifts He gives us. And if He doesn’t, we shouldn’t either. When Jesus was at Simon’s house, a woman poured an expensive bottle of perfume over His head. Some of the people who were there thought this was a waste, and that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. We don’t know what this woman was feeling at the time, we don’t know if she was hurting or happy, but we can imagine how she must have felt to meet with criticism after doing what Jesus described as ‘a beautiful thing’. When other people do things that we don’t understand, we should try and avoid judging them and love them instead. Let’s try and see people’s hearts and potential.

 

What Now?

Think back to the person God showed you yesterday. Have you been judging their actions at all? Ask God to help you see their potential and love them like He does.

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