Be Still And Know

Matthew 5:44-45 NLT  'But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.' Nothing perhaps illustrates the difference between the perception of God and humanity than sunshine. Here we discover that God shines upon both the just and the unjust. The brilliance of a sunny day is that everyone benefits, regardless of the circumstances of their lives; the good and the bad, whether self-induced or not.  This is because God so clearly differentiates the sinner from the sin. One who kills is not a murderer, as if this is their identity. They remain a sinful person sought by God, just as the thieves crucified alongside Jesus discovered. Both initially joined with the crowd below in abusing Jesus. Then one made a request for salvation. Jesus heard and accepted him even though he had no time to make amends for his criminal life