August 6, 2007

 

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

 

--Romans 12:19

 

So often, people want to be the judge, juror, and executioner of other’s faults and failures and sins. Can you relate?

 

It’s like getting older…when physically we get less flexible and our muscles can stiffen after exercise. The same thing that happens to us physically can happen to us mentally and emotionally too.

 

Our attitudes can stiffen and harden, and over time we become cynical, brittle, critical, and inflexible. Instead of just growing older, we grow colder because we’re holding on to some things that we refuse to let go.

 

You know, Jesus had some very, very strong words to the unforgiving and the unrelenting…to those who tried to play God with others. In fact, Jesus rejected them, while at the same time He accepted the sinful, repentant woman who came to Him to begin anew.

 

Perhaps you’re carrying around a judgmental attitude today. If so, do you know what the antidote for that problem is? It’s the power of forgiveness given to us by Christ Himself!

 

If you have a critical spirit in your heart today, ask God to help you let it go. Don’t let your attitude stiffen and harden as you grow older! Instead, let God be the judge!

 

as you grow older, don’t grow colder.