Second Chances

"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?"

Matthew 5:46-47

Source: Pinterest

Last night, I had a genuinely God-given opportunity to speak life into someone close to me who had been going through a really hard time. He shared with me the struggle of getting back on track to having a right relationship with God. He also shared with me how difficult it had been for him to gain people's approval and trust back after making the choices that he had made, mainly that of his own family members.

I truly felt that the words that came out of my mouth to him during this conversation came straight from the Holy One himself. I said, "I loved you through all of it. I may have been sad or disappointed because I didn't want to see you having to go through what you did, but I was never mad at you and I loved you the entire time." When someone repeatedly makes the same poor choices and hurts you over and over again, our hearts become hardened and it is so challenging to forgive. We think, I have forgiven this person once already, do I really need to forgive them again? What's the point? They're just going to keep doing it again.

We are humans and I think at some point, we have all thought this, but this is not the example Jesus gave to us. How often was He caught spending time and showing His love to those who had done wrong and had hurt Him? Ultimately, He was doing just that when He suffered and hung on that cross. We put Him there. Every sin that we have committed put Jesus, the only sinless man, on that cross and He did it WILLINGLY because He loved us that much! How amazing is that?

It is true that many people are in the low, hopeless places that they are in because of their own choices and actions. We know all actions have consequences. However, which do you think is more powerful and will bring more glory to God...turning your back on that person and judging them for everything that they have done wrong or loving that person through it, being there for them, believing the best in them when nobody else will? 

Judging someone based on their past and the actions they have done (and maybe even continue doing) will only push them away from the joy and fulfillment that only Christ can provide. God uses us as tools to speak life into these people who need Him the very most. Don't turn your back on them. Love them, through all of it. After all, we have ALL made mistakes and choices that we are not proud of. Everyone needs a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth...) chance at some point. That's when we can make the biggest difference in someone's life...when we give them a second chance, a chance to do what is right, a chance to have someone believe the good in them.

In Matthew 12:31, Jesus commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Many times when we turn our backs on those who have hurt us and continue to hurt themselves or others, we are doing it out of self-preservation. We feel that we have worked hard for the things we have, why should we help those who don't work hard for what they have and continue to make the same choices that led them to this place to begin with? We do this because we are thinking of ourselves and the needs that we have, but Jesus wants us to think of others in this same way. If we want something good for ourselves, we should want that for others as well. We don't usually want bad things to happen to ourselves, so we shouldn't want bad things to happen to others either.

You may disagree with someone for the choices they are making or the things they have done, but those things do not change the fact that they are still a child of God, just like you. God loves them through all of it and He would love to use you to show these people in need just how  much He loves them.

My challenge to you today is to ask God to soften and open your heart to loving on others who are not easily loved. They may not love you back, but love them. Send a kind text to them just to let them know you are thinking of them or when someone tries to spread rumors or gossip about them, try to help by saying that you don't really know what they are going through and they may be doing what they are doing for a good reason. Be a light for others today. Show them the love that God has in store for their lives. You may be the only one who is showing love and kindness to that person today.

Find the joy in the truth of Christ, today!