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Spirit-Led Identity Change
<page 79>Tied in with the idea of gentleness (previous chapter) is mercy. We express gentleness by showing mercy.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Everything we receive from God comes by mercy. A lifestyle based on mercy displays this fact and changes our little part of the earth. We become a bright spot in a land of darkness and anger.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
There is no greater peace than the peace between God and the saved (Romans 5:1). Our sins are forgiven and we can freely come to Him (Hebrews 4:15-16). When we live in a way that makes this available to others, we become peacemakers. We spread the message that God is in the business of turning His enemies into friends, and this helps people to recognize that we are His sons (Romans 5:6-10).
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Those who are God’s enemies often resist Him, and that resistance can show itself as persecution against those that serve Him. If we want to be peacemakers, we will need to set our eyes on our reward in heaven. Though Jesus has inherited the nations, our treasure can’t be in them. Our treasure must be in eternity.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
<page 80>Though it is often good to flee persecution (Matthew 10:23), we should never bow to it. God made peace with us by showing us His love before we loved Him. We who are led by the Holy Spirit will do the same …with gentleness …but also with boldness.
We have no other good choice. If we understand our poverty of spirit, we will seek the riches of His love and refuse to bow before the darkness around us. We will mourn the difficulty this causes, but in our mourning we will find God’s help and comfort – and there are few forces as powerful as God’s help and comfort. When people see them in us, we become living miracles who demonstrate His grace that is reaching out to a lost world.
There is no guarantee that people will respond well to this, but there is also no better way to live. Even if we see no visible good from our sacrifice, we will be offering God’s best to everyone around us …and we lose nothing permanent. Our treasures in heaven are safe.
It is better to make a sacrifice to be a part of the solution than to take the easy path and be a part of the problem. Jesus is in the business of transforming lives, families, and societies. He does that through people who believe that being like Him is what gets the job done.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:12).
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