S. O. A. P.

Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!

S-cripture:

Matthew 5:11

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”

O-bservation:

These are the words of our blessed Lord from His famous “Sermon on the Mount.” He said we would be blessed by heaven when being insulted here on earth. He said the prophets of old received the same kind of treatment (v. 12b).

A-pplication:

Today the idea of RESPECT is enormous in our culture. The slightest bit of disrespect shown to anyone seldom goes unnoticed without major response from the one being insulted, as well as from unknown folks in the general vicinity of where it occurred. Why is there such an outcry from those who have been disrespected in any fashion? Perhaps it has to do with the failure to identify an INSULT as a BLESSING. But the only way to receive an INSULT as a BLESSING is to live under heaven’s rule and values. INSULTS are immediate, while BLESSINGS evolve in time in many ways. To be honest, I’m more interested in Heaven’s long term BLESSINGS than I am in someone’s instant INSULT. After what Jesus endured on my behalf, my next thought is, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T!! Really???”

P-rayer:

Dear Jesus,

I️ think of the crushing blows and insults that You took for me. I’m not as interested today in respect on this side of heaven. But I’m definitely in need of heaven’s BLESSINGS! Amen