Common Grace

He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt 5:45).

Jesus was speaking here about loving our enemies, actually. Part of the rationale that He uses to encourage us to pray for those who persecute is is this line of reasoning. God gives good things to both evil and good people.

Something that is really easy to lose sight of, at least for me, is the basic premise. The idea glares from the sentence, actually. It doesn't merely say, "He makes the sun to rise ..." No, there is an ownership quality. "He makes HIS sun to rise ..." The statement generally makes us think, "Yeah, those evil and unjust folks ought to be glad they have sun and rain." The idea is every one of us ought to be glad we have the sun and rain. They don't belong to us. They're not a given. We are not owed them. We haven't earned them. And they don't "just happen".

In Acts 14, Paul and his group ran into a crowd of idolaters who, amazed by a miraculous healing of a crippled man, started to worship at their feet. Paul called them off. "In past generations [God] allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness" (Acts 14:16-17). God did not leave Himself without a witness. What witness? Did it rain this year? Was there a harvest? Did you get to eat today? Proof that God is God. The concept here is that rain and fruitful harvest and food and even gladness are gifts from God ... and they are given to believer and unbeliever alike.

Are you happy today? Thank God because it's a gift from Him. Did you get to eat today? Thank God because it's a gift from Him. Did you take another breath? Thank God because it's a gift from Him. In fact, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. That includes your family, your job, your health, your life.