43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’[a] and hate your enemy.44 But I say, love your enemies![b] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. – Matthew 5:43-45 New Living Translation (NLT)
Have you ever heard of the term be the bigger man? Maybe that is an accurate way of looking at it but I worry about one person considering themselves the “bigger” one implies the other is smaller \ weaker.
In doing so we take something that is suppose to be a humble process and take “pride” in our action. I find it hard to believe we can be prideful and humble at the same time.
How about
- We truly humble ourselves when it comes to apologizing even when we think it’s not our fault
- Consider we’ve also done something and someone wrong in the past and need forgiveness
Finally off topic I’ve for the longest time considered the last line here… “For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike” is rain a good thing or bad? I think in our modern times we see rain as a negative and a pain to deal with but maybe consider what rain does… it nourishes, refreshes, gives substance, cleans and is welcome in a time of drought.
Even when you think someone doesn’t deserve a refreshing response from you, consider vs 45 again.
