Tuesday, August 25, 2009

needing mercy, showing mercy

I recently had an interesting conversation with someone from my church. Before I had said much more than "Hi," he put up a defensive wall. As I laid the foundation for what I would ask him, he argued with me. When I asked him for his help, he turned me down.

Near the beginning of that conversation, I found myself also defending my statements. But rather than continue to argue (my typical response), I picked up on the fact that something else was going on with this person and I changed my tactics to simply being nice and allowing for future conversations.

Something else was going on. I still don't know what. But I have realized that Mr. X does not oppose me or the work we are doing. Satan does oppose me and the work we're doing.

We must resist Satan with full force. We must also be gracious and show mercy to each other with full force. It's what Christ modeled for us (no one ever before of since or into eternity has or will show mercy with as much force as He did at the cross). It's what I need.

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