Reaching to Restore

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” LUKE 6:35-36 ESV 

When she found him beside the road, he was covered in dirt, his fur matted in knots and crawling with fleas. The poor mutt cowered with tail tucked as she approached and carefully wrapped a towel around his quivering body. He let out a growl and snapped at her in self-defense. But she calmed him with her reassuring words and slow, careful movements. As a seasoned dog rescuer, she knew the long road that lay ahead. But she was prepared to keep him safe and set him on the path of healing and hopefully future adoption. 

At home, she washed away the mud and clipped his mangy fur, fluffing him dry and coating him in flea powder. Already he looked like an entirely different dog. But it took weeks of tender and consistent care to conquer his fears and rebuild his trust after so much trauma. When he was well, she alerted the Humane Society that she had a new pup ready for adoption. Within just a few days, they found him a forever family, and she got ready for the next referral. 

When we’re working with wounded animals, we know to exercise caution. But our concern for their well-being overrides their hostile resistance to our help because we know they have limited understanding, and we have the power to do them good. 

God wants us to view people through that same lens of compassion—even the people who oppose us or wish us harm. Because we’re filled with God’s indwelling Spirit, He invites us to reach out in kindness to bring the hope and healing of Jesus to a lost and hurting world. When we obey, we aren’t guaranteed a wonderful response. Just like hurting animals lash out in fear, so do people. But God tells us to persist in kindness and pray for their full restoration. In the process, God blesses us with deeper awareness and awe at His incredible kindness toward us. 

Father, I am constantly amazed by Your kindness toward me. Fill me with that same kind of persistent compassion toward others, that my attitude and actions might lead them to adoption into Your family. In Jesus’s name. 

This is an excerpt from True Sweetness: Growing in the Fruits of the Spirit – a devotional now available on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.