Free Passes
“Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.” -Psalm 41:1-2
Suppose someone came up to you and offered you a free pass. They told you that if you were ever to slip up with God or man—so that you could rightfully be punished or be made to suffer loss—that if you had this pass, no harm would come to you.
Would you take this pass?
You get what you give
All throughout life, we are put into hard or challenging circumstances, and we respond with anger or bitterness. Yet in looking at things from God’s perspective, He is only giving us opportunities to bless us. Some of life’s situations are brought from God as a means of blessing and growth, yet we fail to see the opportunity as such, and we instead get what we deserve: justice rather than mercy.
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” -James 2:13
The verses in Psalm 41 at the top of this page illustrate just one instance where we are given opportunities to get a free pass, and to grow, and be blessed by God. “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.”
How many times have we ever seen someone in need, and realized that we could satisfy this need very simply and with little sacrifice on our part: and we’ve still refused to help? Or how many times have we had a poor person approach us for some simple need, even the most meager of requests, and we’ve sent them away empty-handed? We are taking the free passes that God is trying to hand us, and we’re casting them to the ground and refusing them!
In many ways, the golden rule is truly golden: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That is, if you were in their position, how would you want the other person to respond? Would you want to be ignored and forgotten? Would you want to be cursed or insulted?
And there is an additional twist to the golden rule: how you treat others is how God will treat you. Actions speak louder than words, and how you act toward others—and not what you say—is how God will act toward you. And this principle doesn’t only apply to the poor, but to many other facets of life.
Mercy:
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” -Matthew 5:7
Forgiveness:
“So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” -Matthew 18:35
Goodwill:
“The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” -Psalm 37:14-15
In all things, God is watching to see if the confession of our mouth matches the sincerity of our actions. He is truly wanting to bring blessing upon us: but if our lips have spoken deceit, then our actions will bring it to light. “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).
As we come across trying or inconvenient circumstances, we ought to see them as gifts from God to bring about blessing and mercy in our own lives. As we minister justly to others, we are truly ministering directly to God Himself: what a blessing!
“Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” -Matthew 25:34-40
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