Luke 6 / I'll be a fool for you!

Luke 6

10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

* Isnt it crazy to think some people dont see the bigger picture. Here is a man who is healed! Someone's HAND totally grew, or changed - HEALED - right in front of their eyes. Yet, here are the Pharisees just angry at Jesus.  They let their hatred, their anger - all of it, blind them to the miracles & glory that was right in front of them.

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21 21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.

* This just warms my heart.  Laughing is my favorite.  To know how many days life is so hard that its full of tears? I cling to the promises that laughter & joy will return.

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27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.


* One of the toughest things for me - for a lot of us - to really follow through with.  And when you do, it can even reflect back to you with negative comments.

For instance.... there is someone I know ....  She's completely changed into someone i don't recognize.  There's a touch of deceitfulness that comes from her, just unfriendly, just hard to be around... & yet, I try to still be kind to her. I try to always show the love of Jesus.  & its hard. SO HARD!!!! I dont want to. I want to tell her to get away from me. I want to tell her to act like we never knew each other. I dont want this person anywhere in my life.  ....BUT JESUS..... & yet, when I do try to be kind to her, I have even heard people tell me, She's using you - she'll deceive you again - she enjoys walking on you.  it sort of makes me a fool to be kind to her - but isn't that what we're called to do. Be a fool for the One who asks us to act differently than our human heart wants us to.

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35 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. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

* Here we are again... same thought.  But this time, I see the personal side of it pointed to me. God is kind to the ungrateful & wicked. That's me. That's you.  Yet, he does the foolish thing of being merciful to us... so how can I not try to  be more merciful to others?

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37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

* This is such a heart topic for me. I have always said in my own life, I've made some really big mistakes in my life. & big mistakes can leave such a feeling of shame that I always say that I can never judge someone for what they do.

We live in a world where people make a mistake or a lapse in judgement - some things are bigger than words can encompass in mistakes too... but its not our job to judge anyone. & that seems to be the biggest struggle in a world where you can COMMENT on every situation or you can condemn in your mind when you hear of actions someone else did.  It's not our place.  It's not our job.  - & isnt that such a relief? I have enough things in my own life I need to work on - I dont HAVE to worry about anyone else's mistakes.  Goodness knows I've got enough of my own to focus on.

I will say, I will be the biggest "judge" when someone is dumb on a reality TV show though. Lord, help me & forgive me - LOL

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43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.


* This is one of my favorite reminders in the Bible.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.   Some days, my mouth is full of hormones. PREACH.... but I really try to work on my heart being full of all the things God can fill it up with - peace, joy, love, goodness, gentleness... break out those Fruits of the Spirits!

But friends... get me in some traffic & my heart can also get filled up with some angry stuff....

In all that though, we see how easily the heart can empty & fill up again - of each thing, good or bad.

FILL ME UP LORD!!! FILL ME UP!!!