Enlightened

1 Peter 2:¹⁵ “You see, it is God’s will that by doing what is right and good you should hush the gabbing ignorance of the foolish”. (The Voice)

A kind heart is a forgiving heart. Kind people forgive, but mean people do not forgive. When you are enlightened, you know that you are not standing by your strength (if you are standing at all). So, when somebody offends you, you can forgive them because God forgave you. Jesus said in Matthew 6:^9-12 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (NIV). The reason people struggle with forgiving is because they are ignorant. The reason you are struggling to forgive is because you are still in your own sins.

If you have tasted what forgiveness is, then your mind has been enlightened. So, you know by the Words of Jesus that you were forgiven. And the condition of your forgiveness is that you forgive those who offend you. What does that tell you? You are large hearted, you forgive. People who have a large heart, have a kind and generous disposition. Remember, God says, do not hold back. Stretch your tent. Stretch your heart. Stretch your generosity and do not hold back. People whose minds have been enlightened, whose hearts have been stretched (have a big heart), are generous people. They are generous people because they know by Scripture that a man cannot have anything unless it was given to him from above (John 19:11).

You cannot be arrogant because of what you have, since you know that everything you have was given to you from above. And because your mind is really enlightened, you see yourself as a steward of what you have. So, you are generous because you are dispensing it as The Owner expects of you. This goes against culture; it is counter cultural. Culture says it is yours, you are the boss. You need to hold back and conserve, just do a little bit here and there. But God is saying, “Enlarge the place of your heart. Stretch your heart’s curtain wide. Do not hold back. Lengthen your cords. Strengthen your stakes.” (Isaiah 54:2-3 paraphrased).

In other words, enlarge the place of your heart, kindness, generosity. Do not be tight-fisted. Being tight-fisted is a statement of ignorance. Being selfish shows that you are still in darkness, still ignorant. Again, it starts with the mind. If the mind is enlightened, you understand generosity is not something that God wants from you. It is something that God wants for you.

Prayer: Father, please flood my heart and mind with Your light, in Jesus Name. Amen!