Seeing Good Days
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To see good days one should make it one’s intention to bless others, for this is what one has been called to, so that one may be blessed themselves.
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
To bless another means to speak well of with praise and thanksgiving, to invoke God’s blessing upon which is to ask God’s action in their lives or God’s intervention to accomplish His will.
It is to pray for another’s welfare as God perceives it for His actions in their lives.
Have I blessed my brother or sister today? Have I sought God’s blessing upon their lives. Have I sought God’s blessing upon my enemies or those who oppose me?
Jesus says in Mt 5:44 and Lk 6:28 that we should bless those who curse us, mistreat us or persecute you. The apostle Paul encourages the same action in Romans 12:14, speaking to those being persued, persecuted and ruled by Rome and it’s corrupt Ceasars.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Why would He tell us to do so?
To bless someone is to ask for God’s favor upon them. Could you ask for God’s favor upon someone you consider an enemy or has slighted you?
We pray and ask for God’s blessing upon those we consider our enemies so that they may be turned from their ways through God’s intervention in their lives. Jesus did the same thing when He prayed hanging on the cross, watching the soldiers shoot dice for His clothes, “God forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Lk. 23:34). Could you and I ask for God’s favor upon those planning our demise? Notice Jesus did not encourage picking up the sword in defence or attack, but laying it down and allowing His work to be done. Why? Because all the humanity are POW’s, prisoners of war, even ourselves at onetime desparaging and opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ, His love and His call to love as He loves. As the apostle Paul remindeds us “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
As you and I have been loved by our parents, we are expected to love another. As the Father loves the Son, Jesus loves us likewise. What Jesus sees the Father doing, He does. As we observe Jesus do, we are to do.
Henri Nouwen was a very unusual Roman Catholic priest. Henri was someone who ministered to all people regardless of color, sex, class or worldview. His ministry and perish was worldwide and his words cherished by millions. He was a much sought out counselor, mentor and guide by ministers, intellectuals, celebrities, politicians not to mention the average man and woman. One of his best known works is The Return of the Prodigal Son.
What made Henry so exceptional was how He lived and told the story of Jesus with his life. He was always focused on the question as to how he could spread the word about the transforming path of Jesus and how he could create contexts where people could hear the gospel love of Jesus in fresh ways. He believed and treated everyone as God’s beloved. He was eager to help others remember who they really were and are: God’s beloved and chosen.
One declaration that Henri often made was this: “If I am chosen, that doesn’t mean that others are not chosen. When I really receive this gift of being God’s beloved, I look around and see that all others are beloved, too!”
Priest Henri Nouwen was concerned about people seeing good days…are we? You? Me? Are we telling the story of Jesus with our lives? Am I a catalyst to help spread the love of Jesus in fresh ways? Do we treat everyone as God’s beloved?
The Collins English Dictionary defines beloved as something or someone dearly loved and cherished. Do I have the mindset that everyone that I come into contact with is dearly loved and cherished by God? To bless someone is to express the viewpoint and feelings of God that that person is of value and dearly loved and cherished by God. It is to affirm that as God loves me, I am going to love another. You and I were made to bless another with God’s favor.
Jesus changed the world by blessing people with God’s favor, treating them as God’s beloved.
Peter’s mindset is to have the followers of Jesus live the same way…even amongest persecution.