God makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good. He sends His rain to fall on the just and the unjust. It is in this context – the sun and rain signifying His love – that we His children are to be perfect as He is perfect. We have a responsibility to live on the highest plane in existence.
We are to love the undesirable, the unlovable, and even our enemies who hate and persecute us. For what have we gained if we only love and do for those who love us? Nothing! We are doing the same as what the undesirable, the unlovable, and our enemies do for those in their circle who love them. We stand still on one leg. Matthew. 5: 44-48.
“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.” Mark 11: 25, 26.
How do we love and forgive all others in the way that the sun shines and the rain falls? We do it by praying and by doing what we can for them, for love and forgiveness necessarily incorporates action.
Take a look at the following story. It focuses on a forgiving family that doesn’t seem to have God in their lives. Christians would give credit to Him so that all would know that their good works come from Him; but there’s no mention of the Lord.
Be encouraged from their actions, though. For if they are unbelievers doing it from their own strength, think of how much more we can be forgiving by surrendering to the power of our heavenly Father’s grace.