The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Luke 6:31-35, “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.

32 “And if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

33 “And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

34 “And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, in order to receive back the same amount.

35 “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 Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.”

There may not be a harder task than this one Jesus assigns to all of us. Notice carefully that He does not say, ‘Do to others as they do to you’; or ‘Act toward your enemies like they act toward you.’ No, He specifically says, “And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.”

In verses 32-35, He says that there is no reward in loving or doing good or lending things to those who do the same to you. How does that differentiate Christians from non-Christians? It doesn’t! The lost act the same toward their lost friends. No, we have to be different. We are instructed to “love (our) enemies.” But how do we love someone who literlly hates us?

I had an experience like this some time ago. Someone, whom I believed to be a true friend, turned on me with a vengence! I could feel the anger rising within me and knew that if I didn’t remove myself from the area, I just might say something that would come back to haunt me. Oh, I wanted to blast him with some classic verbiage! My old nature (and by the way, even a Christian has an old nature) –my old nature wanted to castigate the rudeness that had come my way. But in that moment, I remembered who I really was –a servant of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit comes to indwell every person who repents of his sin and asks Christ Jesus to be his LORD and Savior. So, it was the Holy Spirit that enabled me to love this person.

Sometime later, I had a specific opportunity to make contact with that person again. I spoke with an attitude of true, Christian love. And his response was gracious and one of gratitude. Lost people all know how to fight verbally and physically. But, they don’t know how to contend with genuine love.

By the way, Jesus said that we are to “expect nothing in return.” Even if your momentary adversary is hostile to your expression of love, in time, he will come to realize that you had done something he could not do; namely, love someone in the midst of conflict. Don’t depend upon yourself. You cannot do it alone. Just yield to the Holy Spirit of God, and He will reward you abundantly!

We love you and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

(Rose Marie & Gene)

P. S. Next Thursday, 21 March, Rose Marie will have an angiogram. To those in the medical field,

it is a normal and relatively simple process. But, when one is already ill, even a simple procedure

seems gigantic. The LORD has given her peace in some recent procedures, for which we thank Him;

but this procedure is invasive. We would both appreciate your prayers for her. God bless you!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”