Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading – Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Theme: PRECEPTS FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Text: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” – Romans 12:18, 19.

Comment: Jesus Christ enjoined us to practise tolerance, which has been defined as “the fine art of getting along with others without compromising moral principles”. God Almighty is tolerant towards men, hence David the King says He is, “full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth”. – Psalm 86:15.

It is the example of tolerance set by God Almighty that Jesus Christ in his famous Sermon on the Mount, enjoined us to emulate. He taught us to avoid violence as much as possible, even if people want to provoke us to a fight. We should even suffer wrongs quietly, not following the old law of “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”. – Matthew 5:38-41.

He also said we should do good to them that hate us and use us despitefully “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-48)  Doing good to those who persecute us is evidence of the understanding that it is the devil who is misleading such ones and that they would change once they realized their faults. 

We should keep praying and showing the kindness of God to those outside the way of God “if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth”.  – 2 Timothy 2:25.