It’s giving time as all across the world, as we begin celebrating Christmas by giving each other gifts to show our love for them and to remind us of what the wise men did in the story of the birth of Jesus. That it is wise to give.
Luke 6:31 NIV
“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Jesus also said that we do better when we give to those in need, and He didn’t mean just the poor.
Luke 6:32 NIV
““If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.”
Giving is one thing, but doing is important too. What does it mean to do good to others? To do good to those who are not good to you?
Luke 6:33 NIV
“And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.”
Lending is the next thing Jesus spoke of in regards to God’s credit. It is good to lend to ones we love or the ones who love us, but there is not much credit there. Good credit is in the lending (time, money, resources, patience, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, etc.) to those who we have no reason to lend to, knowing they may never repay us.
Luke 6:34 NIV
“And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.”
Most importantly, the highest form of credit is when we learn to do the same for our enemies or those who hate us. We must know the neighbor with the least amount of love, patience, kindness, gentleness, or self-control, likely has a bad relationship with Jesus, or perhaps none at all. The mercy shown when we can extend credit where none is due to them is showing the love and mercy our Lord has for His children, especially to those who reject Him, in hopes it will touch and heal their heart so they may be able to accept His truth.
Luke 6:35 NIV
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
This is the credit of Jesus that He extended to us when He allowed Himself to be put on the cross to pay for all of our sins. Mercy was given to us freely and undeservingly. We did nothing to earn it, we can’t buy it or beg for it, it was His ultimate sacrifice for us.
Knowing this we can take His life and learn from it of what He expected us to be, God’s perfect mercy can then be shown in our lives to others through acts of faith in Him.
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Luke 6:36 NIV
This is the credit Jesus gave to us. His life. Now we all are to pick our cross daily and learn to love Him, our God with our whole heart, mind, and soul, and each other.
John 15:12 NIV
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
May the Lord add revelation and wisdom to your life in the areas this can be applied. You are loved! ❤️
