Day~26~ Be Merciful~ Entertaining Strangers
Day 26~ Be Merciful~
Our scripture reading comes from Proverbs 11:17, " The merciful, kind, and generous man benefits himself [for his deeds return to bless him], but he who is cruel and callous [to the wants of others] brings on himself retribution."
God is so merciful to us when we don't deserve it because he loves us! As we go about our journey, we don't always show that kind of mercy to other people. I know I have failed numerous times. There were times I know I can be rigid and possibly hard-hearted especially in certain situations. It is hard to have an open mind when things you were taught as child was wrong in the "church" eye and you try to live your life accordingly to the best way possible for yourself. Learning to be merciful is also learning how to love people for who they are no matter what! We are all different and unique created by the same god. I also realize that each one of us has a different relationship with God and then others who do not know God! But with mercy comes love and with love we have to show genuine forgiveness towards one another. Many Christians confuse grace and mercy. Mercy is God not punishing us as our sins deserve, and grace is God blessing us despite the fact we do not deserve it. Mercy is deliverance from judgment. Grace is extending kindness to the unworthy. During the time I stayed for 6 weeks in Fairmont West Virginia, I had a wake up call about life in general. I complained about my house growing up and houses I walked into for VBS registration opened my eyes. Many houses had the cleanest dirt floor with an area rug over it. Walls were far and few in between. But it was their home! Walk the streets, and homeless people everywhere. Many are here to! Granted some are jokers but there are true ones out there. My uncle was a pastor at Union Mission and they opened their doors for soup kitchen for every meal time. This particular evening my cousin and I went for walk around the block. There was the rough looking homeless man just sitting on the curb. At first, my cousin and I wanted to walk really fast past him but I stopped, and smiled. My cousin turned and asked him if he needed a meal or a shower. The homeless man said that sounded perfect. We asked if he knew where the mission was and said he was new in the area. We told him how to get to the mission and told him that if the kitchen was closed to tell them we sent him. He smiled as he got up and started walking towards the mission. My cousin and I continued our walk around the block as we proceed back to the mission. We were outside playing skipbo when we saw the same gentleman walk by us. He had a shower, his hair was long and he had blueish eyes, I remembered because they sparkled as he smiled. We asked if he got a meal. He said, " everything was fine and the shower was perfect," and turned the corner. My aunt and uncle came out of the other side of the mission as we explained about this man we sent to the mission. My uncle said everything was locked up nobody would be able to get in. So my cousin and I ran around the other corner to see if the same guy was sitting on the bank but he was gone.
Reflection~Entertaining Strangers Could be the Face of God
If we look at Hebrews 13:2, " Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Our place isn't to judge the person but show the same kind of mercy that God has shown us. God is the final judge! If he places a burden on your heart to do something so out of your comfort zone, believe it is better to obey it because not only are you pleasing God, you can also save yourself a lot of turmoil for not doing it. Mercy and grace are best illustrated in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We deserve judgment, but if we receive Jesus Christ as Savior, we receive mercy from God and we are delivered from judgment. Instead of judgment, we receive by grace salvation, forgiveness of sins, abundant life and an eternity in Heaven. Just maybe the next time a stranger approaches you, ask God, "Is it you?"
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