Daily Devotion

“In general, it is better to think well of another than to think ill, or at least to dwell on another's good points than on his bad points. … Let us begin to commend, wherever it is possible, and give up the unpleasant, degrading sensations of hate, rancor, and denunciation.”

Gilbert Reid · A Christian's Appreciation of Other Faiths: A Study of the Best in the World's Greatest Religions (1921), Preface

Scripture

Acts 14:16-17 “In the past, he left all nations to do their own way; yet he did not fail to demonstrate his own worth, for he was always kind in showing favor, sending rain from heaven and providing bountiful harvests, filling your hearts with joy and satisfying your hunger.”

Reflection

Gilbert Reid reminds us that God's love and grace never limit themselves. All things in the world, the wisdom of ancient sages, and even the people around us from different backgrounds all retain "evidence" of God's truth. When faced with differences in faith or culture, if we only criticize the disagreements, we often miss His all-encompassing light. The calling of Christians is not to reject and destroy, but to seek and fulfill the traces of God's grace placed everywhere with reverence and humility. In seeking common ground while respecting differences, we will discover that God's kingdom is wider and more abundant than we imagined.