“For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful”  Luke 6:36

 

This is one of those things and one of those arguments that seems, on the surface, to be such a difficult concept to explain or reconcile to an unbelieving world (as if it was up to us or we even could, explain God).  There are seemingly so many evil people, dictators who live in the lap of luxury, while their people starve, gangsters and  gang members who commit many heinous crimes yet seem to seldom face justice and terrorists who plan and carry out attacks and brag about them on videos and successfully sneak away avoiding capture.  How can a Loving God allow that!  To our logic; a troubling question.

AND, if we were equals with Our Heavenly Father; perhaps we would be justified in asking that question.  However, to me, first and foremost, we must understand that we are not creators; we are the created.  No matter how high we want to raise up our own wisdom on this earth, it will never match His.   Also, I/we have to be very careful as we look to point the finger at who is truly evil or unthankful.  Jesus Christ is very clear that is not just the action; but the desire for the action which is the sin.  In the situations that I want to do physical harm to the person:  “Oh I could just (smack, punch, hurt, kill) them!” or that I would lust  “Wow it would be great to sleep with him/her”, it is the initial thought that is the sin.  That our earthly courts would deem me not guilty as long as I don’t carry out the act, is irrelevant in the eyes of our Heavenly Father:  “But I say to you whoever is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment”  or “anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart”.  So it is incumbent upon me to watch out how I throw the “they” pronoun as it applies to what is evil or who is unthankful.

So is there some recompense, some judgment coming to those who are evil and unthankful?  Surely.  For in Jesus Christ’s discussion of anger in lust, in both cases he speaks of being liable to judgment.  Even as we look with a worldly view, we must be careful not to confuse the fantasy of fiction, with the starkness of reality.  In many shows and movies, the villains are seen in constant revelry, joy and carefree living due to their evil.  Yet, when we strip away the façade and look at the reality, we often see anger and tension, loathing of others and sometimes self and yes we often see fear and paranoia.  Is that truly living the good life?  To those who are unthankful, who believe that they are the only reason they have achieved success and any means necessary is acceptable to achieve, what do we see?  Do we not tend to see those individuals isolated or surrounded by similarly shallow people, parasitical companions who will stay around only as long as their own selfish needs are met?  Do we not see the arrogant often as targets for scandals real or imagined, fitting in to that recent phenomenon of loving to watch the “great”  fall from grace.  And when they do fall, which most inevitably do, they find themselves deserted and alone.  Is that a way we want to live?  Is that the good life?

So what does that drive us to?  A humble, thankful and joyous existence.  Humble; that there but for the Grace of God go I.  I, in my human nature, am completely capable of evil and giving myself the credit instead of being thankful to Our Heavenly Father.  Thankful.  Thankful, that Our Heavenly Father would pour out His Grace upon me.  That His will is to “lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil”  as well as forgiving our trespasses.  Joyous.  Joyous, that our Heavenly Father freely gives his Grace to all.  Those who don’t receive it will have a miserable existence.  In love we are not to gloat about their miserable existence but to have pity, mercy and yes, as tough as it can be to do, love for them as Our Heavenly Father does.  Joyous for us who do receive His Grace, that through the trials and tribulations of this world as well as the attacks by worldly and spiritual foes, we will be victorious!  We will find Peace that surpasses all understanding.

Dear Heavenly Father; in Your Grace, you provide us with so much; even Your Son Jesus Christ to die and rise again that we might have an eternal relationship with You.  May it be that we are humble enough to rely on You to keep us from evil and humble enough to give You the thanksgiving for our blessings that You so justly deserve.  Forgive us, Dear Father, when we are more want to provide judgment to those we deem evil or ungrateful than mercy or forgiveness.  Teach us to be more like You.  That in all things that we do, Your Most Holy Name will be Praised.  In the name of Jesus Christ we pray.

Amen