One Year Bible - March 29
Scriptures to read:
Matthew 23:13-39; Numbers 23:27-24:25; Song of Solomon 5:2-6:3
Over the past few weeks, we've seen human depravity on full display with two mass shootings and new attacks and robberies targetting Asian-Americans almost every single day.
Growing up in the Bay Area, it's always felt like a safe bubble, being so diverse and mostly embracing of all cultures. When a friend of mine recently shared security camera footage of an elderly Asian woman being attacked and robbed outside his house, less than five minutes away from my house, that feeling of safety I'd felt my whole life disappeared. I never thought I'd have to fear for the safety of my parents in the place that I was born and raised, where I'd never felt this fear before.
What is even more heartbreaking about these attacks are the unnecessary beatings. The attackers seem to prey on the elderly knowing that they can't fight back, which makes the beatings even more unnecessary. This shows that these attacks are not simply to steal, but are rooted genuine hate.
How do we see God in all of this?
How can we be reminded that He is good?
How can we be reminded that these attackers and murderers are broken human beings loved by God, and in need of His grace?
Doesn't it feel like our hate for these people is just?
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One of the women in San Francisco that was attacked was on her way home from church on a Sunday when three people tried to grab her purse. When she wouldn't let go of the purse they punched her several times and dragged her with their getaway car. When she spoke to reporters after the attack, this woman of faith's response to the attackers was, "Know that you are loved. Know people are there to help you."
In the eyes of the world this may seem absurd, and it may be easy to feel that our hate for the attackers has every right to be justified, but God calls us to something greater.
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Jesus was beaten, scourged, and nailed to a cross to die at the hands of people who accused him of not being who he most definitely was. Knowing he would face the worst possible death anyone could suffer at their hands, Jesus turned to the Father and pleaded on behalf of his accusers, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).
We are called to love the way Jesus loves. Not because it feels or doesn't feel right in our own eyes, but because he loved and saved us in our brokeness.
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It's safe to say that 2020 and 2021 have been two of the weightiest years anyone alive has experienced in their lifetime, no matter how old they are. We've seen human depravity on display in incredibly disheartening ways, but in the midst of all this, even more so, we've seen a beautiful display of the capacity of human beings to love in the midst of brokenness.
Love is hard, and in certain situations it will feel like we are justified in every sense to not choose love, yet, as followers of Jesus, we choose to love anyways, because he first loved us. In our brokenness we deserved eternal separation from him, but he died for us, so that we can love like him.
Memory Verse: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. - Romans 12:14-15
Prayer: Lord, help us to love the way you love. When everything around us is telling us that love isn't the way, help us to choose it anyway, and let our motivation be that you first loved us in all of our brokenness.
