Romans 11:28-32
28 As regards the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their ancestors, 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so also they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.
The more that we get to know a person we often learn the reasons for why they believe certain things and how they became the person that they are. We are all a collection of stories and experiences that shape us and mold us into the person that we are. When a person enters our lives for the first time, we often don’t know much about them and how they came to be the person that they are. And, even though we might have known someone for years, there might be stories that have shaped them that we are unaware. I find it helpful to remind myself of this when someone is rude when out in public. We don’t always know the day the person has had, the story that they have, or the pain that they might endure to drive their behavior. While their behavior isn’t excused and we don’t have to be a doormat, we can perhaps give some grace to another’s bad day.
John Calvin spent a great deal of his writing helping us understand the importance of not judging the other. We can never know what God’s plan is for a person’s life and what their faith story is. Our faithful response should be to not live in judgment but in love. It is hard when someone annoys us or makes choices that aren’t in keeping with the gospel. And, yet our faith compels us to act in faith and love. As Paul writes to the Romans, we have all received mercy and so we should show the same to others.
Prayer
God of mercy, we live freely in this world because of the endless mercy that you have given to humanity through Jesus Christ. Help us to show this same mercy to those around us by being agents of your gospel. In your grace, Amen.
Amen