​Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. — Luke 6:28

People, being driven by their own desires, (sin/flesh), have always had issues with others who don't look like them, think like them, believe like them, etc. Sometimes these differences turn into hate, etc and they mistreating those who are "different" than them.

While there is NEVER, EVER any excuse or reason for anyone to mistreat, hate, etc anyone else and it should NEVER be excused, unfortunately because of sin in the world, it can and does happen far too often.

Jesus, our Creator and Savior is/has been hated, mistreated, ridiculed, cursed, beaten, scorned, killed, and still rejected even to this day. Yet in all of this and more, there was no sin, no malice, no deceit, nothing. Even during His death on the cross, for which He committed nothing wrong to be there, He cried out to His Father, God, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do!"  (Luke 23:34)

Life is hard for almost everyone I know. Read the book of Ecclesiastes for what was going on back then, nothing different today, just done in different ways and easier for us to find out about it. Unfortunately sin continues to disrupt life on this earth as we continue to allow ourselves to get caught up in it. This will never change this side of heaven.

None of us are exempt for the affects of sin in this world, crime, death, sickness, hate, hardships, etc.  We may think that someone has it better than us, but take a minute to live in their shoes and we’d quickly realize, it’s just a different set of problems.  Why do you think so many movie stars, musicians, etc that we think have it made, commit suicide?  And all of them die eventually, some peacefully in their sleep and some from sicknesses and diseases.  None of us are exempt from the affects of sin in this world.

We can all sit around and feel sorry for ourselves, blame others for our sins, how we live our lives, etc.  But ultimately, what will we do to change our own lives?

Jesus gave us one command listed here in Luke, bless and pray for those who mistreat us.  Did you get that?  Not hate them, not attack them, not accuse them, etc, rather bless and pray for them.  Do you know what else He told us, to forgive, period, no strings, just do it, even if they don’t ask us, we’re still to forgive. 

Anyone reading this without sin?  Anyone reading this been forgiven by The LORD?  Then why throw stones?  (John 8)

Yes we need to change, but it has to start with forgiveness and prayer.  If man’s hearts don’t change so that they follow The LORD, then nothing else will ever change, at least permanently and without Christ we’ll end up in hell so what difference would it make anyways? 

It all begins with you and me, Christian.  We can’t just continue to live our lives as if nothing mattered for eternity as we amass wood, hay, and stubble with things of this world, living for this world and ourselves, as the world around continues on a path that leads them straight to hell.  (1 Corinthians 3)

We need to be examples of Christ’s love, forgiveness, service, caring, etc.  Our lives our not our own, we were bought with a price, Jesus’ death on the cross, and we will NEVER be able to repay the debt we owe.  It’s way past time for us to live our lives for The LORD and die to our selfish desires.

The choice is ALWAYS ours with what we will do every moment of every day until the moment our life on this earth is snatched away for eternity.  Whether we leave this earth because of a virus, a disease, getting hit by a Mack truck, or the rapture, the vessel used to get us to eternity doesn’t matter and anyone of us could die right now. 

So what are you waiting for?  If our “bucket” list isn’t going all out for Jesus, then throw it away and get real.  The world around us is dying every moment and then the judgement and eternity.  (Matthew 25:31-46)  Doesn’t that fact bother us?  Shouldn’t that give us an urgency to do something about it?  Remember, we ALL will give an account to The LORD for EVERYTHING, for EVERY moment we spend on this earth.  (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)  We need to quit wasting time on ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that takes us away from our objective on earth, living full out for Jesus.  If we think we’re here to do anything else, then clearly we haven’t read and studied God’s Word and quite possibly we don’t even have a relationship with Christ and The Holy Spirit is not living in side of us.  (James 1:22)  He won’t lead and guide us to do anything that is contrary to what He wrote in His Word!

Get in The Word, read it, study it, and DO IT!  Disciple others with the truth of God’s Word, be a disciple of God’s Word, live God’s Word in front of others.  (Matthew 28:19-20)  Love God, love others.  (Matthew 22:35-40)  Pray that The LORD would use you to all those around you to reach them for Him.  Change the world for Christ one life at a time by what you do that shows the world that you are different because there’s a Hope within you, Christ, that compels you.  (1 Peter 3:15) 

Then and only then will we hear, well done my good and faithful servant!  (Matthew 25:14-30)