November 5, 2025 Devo

Several years ago, a homeless guy stopped at our church to ask for help. We had helped him before to get some food, and on this particular day, he wanted to know if he could use our showers to clean up. We opened the locker room for him and got him set up with soap and shampoo. He took a good, long, hot shower. When he was finished, he asked if we had any clothing or anything that we could give him. I told him we didn’t have any. He asked if we had any gift cards we could give him, and I told him that I was sorry, but we were out.
He then became angry and loud and began using foul language, demanding that we had to do more. I told him he was done here and escorted him to the door. He cussed me out all the way to the door, calling me names that most people don’t use when referring to a pastor. Well, at least not when he’s standing right there! I shook my head as he walked away. How could someone that you just bent over backwards to help be so ugly and ungrateful? The answer? They’re hurting and desperate. People with that much pain and scar tissue in their lives often become blinded by their own neediness. It’s not about you. It’s about THEM.
Some of you probably really need to hear this today. I’m guessing some of you have people who are returning ugliness for the love you’ve been showing them. Some of you have people who have gotten in your face, cussed you up and down, accused you of things you’ve never done, or talked horribly about you behind your back when you have done nothing but try to help them. Some of them are people that you spent time in the morning praying for, only to be shot at by them later in the day!
Can anyone relate? They may be someone at work or church. They may be someone you thought was a friend. It may even be a child, parent, or relative. Their anger is uncalled for, and it cuts you to the core. You want to retaliate. But don’t. Don’t let their anger become YOUR anger. That’s what David does in this psalm. He wants to call down God’s fury upon them.
But see them with the eyes of Jesus instead. His love was thrown back in His face with three rusty spikes and a thorny crown to go with it. But instead of returning anger for anger, Jesus returned compassion for anger. From the cross, he prayed, “Forgive them Father, for they don’t know what they’re doing.” You can pray that prayer over those who are attacking you today, too. But you have to know what Jesus knew to be able to do it. It’s not about you. It’s about them. That’s God’s Word for you today.