Jesus said, "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
-Luke 6:27-28 (NIV)
Devotional:
AS a deputy sheriff working in a busy courthouse, I deal with hundreds of people every day. Many of them are what some call "the dregs of society"; and they can be rude, inconsiderate, and violent. It's easy for a law enforcement officer to become mean and jaded, which was exactly what was happening to me. It seemed that all my acts of kindness and helpfulness went unnoticed and unappreciated.
Several years ago, I rediscovered my relationship with Jesus; and my attitude slowly began to change. Now I look at the people I work with not as the dregs of society but as lost souls, the people Christ came to save. I also realize that no matter how rude or difficult people may be, they are God's children and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. While I still occasionally lose patience, I am continuing to grow as a Christian and trying to imitate Jesus in the way I treat people. I believe that if we look for Christ in everyone and treat each person accordingly, we will all be better off.
