Daily Hope Devotional 5 April 2022 By Rick Warren | Tuesday Message
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More Mercy, More Like Jesus
By Rick Warren
Scripture: “Love is . . . never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (TLB)
Daily Hope Devotional 5 April 2022 MESSAGE
One of the best things you can do for your family is to show them mercy. Mercy is love in action. So when you overlook irritations and choose to be kind to your family—even when they don’t deserve it—you’re being merciful.
Another important way you can show mercy in your home is to let go of past hurts.
Do you keep a mental record every time someone in your family does something wrong?
Are you quick to remind someone of how they have hurt you? The Bible says that real love doesn’t store up hurts and offenses to be used later for revenge. When you hold on to a hurt like that, you are not being loving.
The Bible says, “Love is . . . never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5 TLB).
Notice how “rude” and “does not hold grudges” are in the same verse. That’s the reason people are rude: They’re reacting to a past hurt they’ve been holding on to and then taking it out on others. And when they react to a past hurt, they can’t relate to the present.
Leviticus 19:18 says, “Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbors as you love yourself” (GNT).
Are past grudges holding you hostage today? Don’t hold grudges over your spouse’s or children’s heads. And don’t tell other people about your grudges, either. That’s gossip! Instead, just let it go.
Sometimes it’s hardest to show mercy to the people who are closest to you. But when you can let it go and be merciful, you are learning to be more like Jesus.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- When you were a child, how did your family model mercy with their words? How did they not model mercy with their words?
- What situation do you anticipate being in this week that will require you to extend mercy?
- Have you ever struggled to show mercy to someone, but when you learned about their past, showing mercy became easier? Why was that?
Daily Hope Devotional 5 April 2022, More Mercy, More Like Jesus appeared first on Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope.