Yesterday, as I meditated on God's lovingkindness, the verse that stood out to me was in Psalms 25:10 where it said that "all the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness." Today, as I looked at my list of verses that list the word "lovingkindness" (most of them seem to be in the Psalms, not surprisingly!), two things hit me: lovingkindness and truth are often linked together and celebrating God's lovingkindness seems to be the thing to do in the morning.
Personally, I find this rather applicable to me at this time in my life, as one of my goals is to get up earlier. To say I don't celebrate much in the morning would be a vast understatement! lol Well, at least until AFTER my morning coffee. It's rather comforting to me to know that I can sing joyfully about God's lovingkindness - even in the morning!
The next thing I want to look at is that lovingkindness and truth are linked together. In Psalms 40:11; 57:3, 10, lovingkindness and truth are linked. To me, this is a profound thing for us to get. So many times, we seem to have this idea that love, to be really loving, has to be blind.
It's as if lovingkindess - showing merciful favor - involves ignoring reality. On many social network sites, I see a lot of this idea that we are to blindly offer help to the needy, regardless of the circumstances - whether the person is irresponsible or has addiction issues or continues to make poor choices doesn't seem to matter.
When I nicely pointed out that while the poor and needy were provided for by God's laws in the Old Testament, they were required to work, I got shot down for not being "really loving."
Hmmm - Ruth was required to glean while Boaz (and other land owners) were supposed to leave extra for them. BOTH the giver and the taker had a responsibility.
It IS possible to show lovingkindess and be cognizant of the truth. Sometimes, that means doing the tougher thing rather than the easier, "nicer" thing. Nowhere in Scripture does it advocate giving a free ride to someone that chooses NOT to work despited being able-bodied. We can give encouragement and help that person acquire skills. We can give people a hand when they fall down, so they have time to get up and dust themselves off. We can certainly provide for those who truly CAN'T provide for themselves due to illness or something similiar. But to continue to enable someone in irresponsibility or laziness is not Scriptural, and I dare say, it is not very loving either.
Lovingkindness and truth not only can exist together, but they go hand in hand. God doesn't ask us to love blindly, but with our eyes wide open to the truth around us.
"He will send from heaven and save me; He reproaches him who tramples upon me. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth." Psalms 57:3
~ Blessings, Bronte
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