Contemplative Bible Reading

Jude 1:23 (New Living Translation)

23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

The writer is encouraging followers of God to show mercy while hating. Whoa. I guess that is possible, but there is a fine line here and a chasm the depth of the Grand Canyon on both sides of that line.

One one side of the line I am H A T I N G the actions of a person. Those actions are contaminating their lives. Not smudging a little dust on their lives; contaminating them. (contaminate: verb, make (something) impure by exposure to or addition of a poisonous or polluting substance.) A poisonous substance has entered their life. P O I S O N.

Nevertheless, on the other side of the line, we show mercy. (mercy:noun, compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.) God can punish the person, but God doesn’t. I can punish the other person, but I don’t.

Gosh, it seems someone needs to punish the person, why can’t I do that? Why do I “have to” forgive? I don’t “have to” forgive; I am given the gift that “allows” me to forgive. I am given the gift where I don’t “have to” punish. The gift allows me to act as if the contamination never occurred.

God gave me the ability and the circumstance to show mercy. What wonderful gifts. “All I have to do” is accept them. Please God, help me in my unbelief.