The Psalms of David have been a source of inspiration to Christians through the ages. They have found a place in the liturgy, and have been worked up into hymns and choruses. We can meditate on God's greatness using the words of Psalm 147, on His providence through Psalms 23 and 121, on our own shortcomings and God's promises in Psalm 51. Jesus died with the words of Psalm 22 on his lips, and the Psalms have rightly been called 'aspects of Christ'.
In our Lenten course, we are invited to measure ourselves against the yardstick of the 'righteous man' in Psalm 26. God's faithful love is always before his eyes, he loves the beauty of the Lord's house, he lives his life in innocence, and according to God's truth. And so should we, and so can we, with Christ's help to redeem us and guard us from sin.
The Psalmist also says: "I hate the company of sinners>" But there we should be careful in following his example. Our Lord overturned the standards of his time by actually going out to sinners and befriending them. It is not the company of sinners that we should hate, but the danger of joining in with them in their sinful ways.
Jesus was a friend to all, and so should we be. We should be a friend to everyone, and consider everyone as our neighbour, for even if they haven't been set upon by bandits on the road down to Jericho, everyone has some need, and we all can do our bit to help.
Maybe there are people we can't get along with, or whose problems we don't really want to know about, or would be happier if other people did something to solve.
During Lent, we should be listening especially hard to what God is telling us about our relationships with others. And the news is that we should love them with the same love that God has for us.
Moreover, we should not try to escape our responsibilities by saying: "Well, I may have to love them, but I don't have to like them". That is cheating them, and cheating God. If in doubt as to how to treat people who have offended us, or who we can't get along with, remember that only by working together, by loving each other and forgiving each other, can we hope to participate in God's kingdom.
And remember, it is best to try to get along with them now. Because when we reach the gates of heaven, those people we can't get along with are quite likely to be there, too, redeemed, glorified, and praising God. And what would happen then if we can't stand their company?
HD