The Lord gave me a dream one Sunday, early in the morning. I saw myself outside of a classroom. Then, I saw a young lady whom I have known for some years. She was walking into the classroom and pulling along a leopard as if it's a tame dog. The leopard had wounds all over its body. When she was trying to settle the leopard before taking her seat in the classroom, the animal went out of control and caused havoc in the classroom. Everyone ran for their lives. The lady tried to control the leopard but to no avail.
I knew what the Lord was trying to convey but didn't know what's the purpose of it until I shared it to my husband before we left for church. He was going to preach about blessing others that day. The dream was an add-on in God's message for the church.
The Lord gave me understanding that the leopard was that lady's heart. Knowing her background, she's the type that keeps offense and hurts inside her heart though she appears to be fine all the time. I know her struggles. Though she has sincerely been trying to be a blessing to others, she still continues to hurt others with her speech or actions, intentionally or unintentionally. And people tend to avoid her so that they won't be hurt.
"As in water face reflect face, so a man's heart reveals the man." (Proverbs 27:19 NKJV)
You see, your heart controls your whole being. Who you are today is the end-result of the substance you have in your heart. So, what you allow to be kept in your heart is very important. If you keep offense, you will offend others. If you keep hurts, you will hurt others. But if you have been receiving and giving love, love will always overflow from your heart.
Unrealistically, many believers try to appear to be 'kind' people without allowing the Lord to heal and deal with their lives. As a result, they hurt more people and outsiders judge them as having 'double-identity' or being 'two-faced' Christians.
"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV)
Matthew 6:14-15 is not telling you about God's strictness. Our heavenly Father is loving and merciful, but He is bound by the free will He gave to His creations. Your decision will determine what flows out of your life. If you want to be a blessings to others, you must first choose to forgive those who had hurt or offended you, so that blessings could flow through your life. Let the Lord deal with you from the core or the root of your problems and set you free.
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:44-45 NKJV)
How do you know you have forgiven those people who had hurt or offended you? The answer is, when you can bless them in your prayer, then in your speech, finally in actions.
Once your life is cleared of offenses and hurts, do not allow new ones to come in. Arm yourself with forgiveness and God's love. May you be a great blessing to many.
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