“Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” Matthew 5:48 (The Message)
“Morality does matter to God. Performance reviews still count, both in this world and the next. But God is even more passionate about being gracious to us all. This is how God designed human life to be lived. And the radical call of Jesus is to act like God in this extravagant non-discriminating way — raining down kindness even on our enemies. This is a foundational law of nature and the universe. If this is counterintuitive for us, it shows how deeply ingrained our instinct to selective kindness is.
This principle has enormous implications in every area of our lives. Jesus says if we follow God’s lead, we will discover our true selves, our ‘God-created selves’. “Live out your God-created identity,” he says. “Live generously and graciously towards others, the way God lives toward you. (Matthew 5:48 MSG) One of the distinguishing marks of the image of God in us is our capacity for generous self-giving love.”
David L. Knight in Downstream from Eden: The Amazing Gift of Water for a Thirsty World (Bloomington: WestBow, 2012) 51.
In the wake of the elections in the USA, it appears that God not only cares about morality but the people do too. Ultimately, God, who puts rulers in authority, has been gracious to our nation. Thank you God. May God guide and direct each leader to understand and follow His ways.
What about us, that is, you and me? How should we live toward others in the wake of a divisive season? We should live out our God created identity, of course, and not show selective kindness! Let’s resolve to extend generous self-giving love to others, both friends and enemies.
This week, I’m thankful for the kindness John Roswech, Shawn McFarland, and others are showing me in North Dakota. While John and I only shot one bird each yesterday, hiking over ten miles, Shawn was kind enough to share his three with me. Today Shawn’s offered to help me return the the field and look for my phone after John and I tried on Monday. Thanks brothers.
In his book, Knight adds this prayer for us. It’s a fitting start for our post-election day: Generous God, spur me on to more spontaneous love, mentor me to be more openhanded in showing kindness, to reflect your sunshine into the world without filters and to refresh others as generously as you refresh me. Amen.
God bless America.