Waking in God’s Favor: But I say to you who are listening now to Me: in order to heed, make it a practice to love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred. Luke 6:27 (Amplified)
This weekend we are giving presentations on “The Power of Love & Forgiveness” at the Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland for their Parent Weekend. Shortly after our arrival, we were offered a night tour of the Washington DC mall by our good friend Louis Matthews. We were surprised at the number of people who braved the 20 degree weather to view the various monuments and memorials that commemorate our American Heritage. One inscription at the Martin Luther King Memorial that really spoke to our heart says “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
We believe love and forgiveness are divine qualities that comes from God. When we understand and receive the sacrifice Christ made for us, we then can offer that same kind of love and forgiveness to meaningful others.
In our society people will take advantage of you. They will scheme, swindle, and fraudulently go after your wealth. People like Bernard Madoff, who perpetrated over a 50 billion dollar Ponzi scheme, have made money their God. They have no problem ripping you off, if it puts money into their pockets. They knowingly take advantage of their influence, power, and wealth.
Level 4 Stewards practice the spiritual principle of forgiveness. They have personally experienced the transformational power of forgiveness in their own lives and extend that kind of forgiveness to others. When someone takes advantage of you , your faith can restore your loss in many ways.
Forgiveness is not an option for the Level 4 Steward. They extend grace to others, learn from the experience, and move on with their life’s mission. You can only experience this kind of forgiveness when you are connected to the Source of forgiveness.
Prayer of Blessings: Creator God, place Your spirit of forgiveness in our hearts.
Michael Vance is a senior account executive with Hundley Batts & Associates and the co-founder of stewardshipofwealth.com. Ardella Vance is a gifted educator and a Master Guide in the Pathfinders Club, a global organization empowered to teach life and leadership skills to young people. The Vance’s have been married well over 25 years and share their lives with four adult children and four grandchildren. They currently reside in Huntsville, Alabama and blog weekly from their financial workbook ” The Stewardship of Wealth“.
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