Today’s Reading, Psalms 140-145
Focal Scripture: Psalms 145:8 “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love.”
How we treat others tells a lot about us as individuals. It reveals our hearts when we get frustrated and annoyed with strangers and those we care about in our lives. I know personally I get short with those I care about when I am frustrated or distracted. That reveals an issue with my heart not with them as people. My attitude towards them in the moment means I am being ruled by self and not being led by the Spirit. It demonstrates that I am on the throne of my heart when I act that way.
In today’s reading we see the standard that we are called to live to everyday in our lives. The psalmist says that the Lord is gracious and compassionate. He is slow to anger and great in faithful love. Scripture tells us in 1 John to walk the way Jesus walked. In Philippians to have the mind of Christ. We know his heart and compassion towards people. How he loved them and treated them, even when he was busy and encountered annoying people.
We must ask ourselves if we have this mind and attitude of Christ. If we do not then we have work to do in our walks. The Lord is gracious and compassionate then we are expected to be as well. We can’t make excuses about our lives or things we are going through. We can’t say that is just the way I am, because as believers we have been changed to be like Christ.
We must die to our flesh and learn to be compassionate and gracious. Slow to anger with other people. Especially those we disagree with personally, politically, and professionally. In my opinion this is one of the greatest evidences of a born again believer. If you are constantly angry with others or have anger towards those you disagree with it reveals a freshly heart. It doesn’t show love or compassion.
We are called to love others. We are called to speak the truth in love. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ. If we are Jesus ambassadors and we treat others poorly we are poor representatives of Christ mission. So examine yourself today and ask how people would describe your attitude and speech. Are you known as a gossip or angry person? Do you have impatience for those who annoy you? If so it’s time to check your heart. You might have a head knowledge and not a heart transformation.
Since God is compassionate, gracious and slow to anger that should be our qualities as well.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading 146-150
