NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Having Heart In A Sometimes Heartless World Day 174 - Focus Scripture focus: But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life! Go easy on those who hesitate in the faith. Go after those who take the wrong way. Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven. Jude 20-23 The Message keeping your arms open and outstretched Does that sound like the behavior of a person filled with shame? Does a person wrapped in shame expect the mercy of our Master? Can shame-driven folks go easy on those who hesitate in the faith? Would a shameful person be willing to risk going after those who take the wrong way? Does shame produce tenderness? I'm thinking no. Shame causes us to cross our arms and protect our heart from further condemnation. We neither expect mercy nor express it comfortably. We can't go easy on ourselves or others. Shame leaves us hyper-sensitive and super avoidant of every kind of wrong. Shame produces more tantrum than tenderness. That's a shame, isn't it? We were created to be open, inviting, loving, merciful, tender with sinners and tough on sin. Is shame holding you back? Recommended reading: 2 Kings 1 and 2 in the morning; Psalm 139 in the evening