The Jesus Way

 There is a right way and a wrong way to do just about everything. There is a good way to do things and a bad way to do things. We have to decide how to know the right way and the good way. Some people just do things the way they see others doing them. Others simply do what they "feel" like is the best way. However, other people will lead us in the wrong way, and we can't trust our feelings to show us the right way either. So, how do we  know for sure?

Jesus is God who became a man so He could live among us and show us the right way to live. Yes, He is the God/Man so He could shed His blood for us and die for our sins, making a way for our salvation. That was His main purpose in coming, but His example was vital for us to live a righteous, godly life, too. (Luke 6:27,28) "But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." These verses are a great example of the Jesus way.

The world says to hate our enemies. Our flesh makes us want to hurt them. Jesus said to love our enemies. That means we are to choose to do what is best for them and try to help them in any way we can. We are not to try to hurt those who hate us. We are to do good to them. After all, if we attack our enemies and hurt those who hate us, things will never get better. It will just make them more upset with us. If they see our love, they may repent and start to love us back. Then, we have gained friends.

We must be ready to bless those who curse us. We must not retaliate against them. Then, we are just doing what they are doing to us. How is that right? What we can do is to pray for those who hurt us or who would hurt us. God can change their hearts. That is what God wants and that is what we should want. This is the Jesus way for us to handle personal relationships with others. Sometimes our country has to attack our enemies and hurt them because of the need to provide for national defense. However, in our personal dealings with individuals the Jesus way is always best.

Tomorrow, I intend to read Luke 8-10.