**Daily Devotional** **August 7** *14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. - Romans 12:14-15 (KJV)* This verse is saying to not curse those that persecute you, as there are a number of times in the bible that Paul and others did curse someone. The Lord told us to turn the other cheek when someone hits you on the cheek (Matthew 5:39), which tells us not to retaliate when hit. We are told to bless those who curse us, and to love our enemies that persecute us, and pray for them (Matthew 5:44). What all this is saying is that we are not to seek revenge from our enemies, as the Lord will avenge us (Romans 12:19). Paul was a master at being all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:22), so that he might save some, and he is telling us to respond to people on their level, and in their circumstances. If you are truly compassionate toward people, and feel what they feel, you will be able to console them, and they will respond to you much better than being indifferent toward them. The only way us humans can do what these verses say, is for us to die to ourselves, and let Christ live through us, as Paul did (Galatians 2:20). This is so different from the Old Testament Law, as it taught “an eye for an eye” type of retaliation toward people (Exodus 21:23-25), and in the New Testament grace, it is now all about love (John 13:34). Jesus was the perfect example of the AGAPE type of God’s love, as He did not retaliate against all those that persecuted Him, and He even asked the Father to forgive those that were crucifying Him (Luke 23:34). Praise God for His being love (1 John 4:8). Devotional by Pastor Joe W. Green, www.infinite-faith.com