Scripture: Luke 6:27-28
But I say to you who are willing to hear: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.
Thought for the Day: How many of you have been tempted to rewrite this section of scripture? How many of us, if we were to be honest, would have to admit that the way we live our lives has already rewritten these words? This comes from what scholars refer to as Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. It is similar to Matthew’s Gospel, and the section that we call the Sermon on the Mount. Luke, as compared to Matthew, offers us a bit more direct and sharp tone. So often when I speak about these passages of scripture, I find people’s rebuttal to be strange. And let me add, I am speaking of Christian folks. It’s one thing to say out loud, “Wow, that’s demanding! I don’t know how well I’m doing with it, but I pray that God will help me do a little better tomorrow.” But the response I so often encounter is people jumping to a defensive posture that uses strange political or national or cultural references to argue against what we have in scripture. I even had a guy years ago say to me in regard to these words, “They are unrealistic, and thus useless. I act as if they are not even there.” That is an interesting approach, but it is the radical and demanding stuff of scripture that most scholars believe was the central teaching of Jesus. Wherever Jesus was turning the world and culture on its head, those are the places we need to be focusing our attention…even if it challenges us or cramps our style or requires us to change.
Prayer: I don’t know if I am ready to love all my enemies quite yet, and to do good things for those who hate me will require a bit more time with you, O Lord. But amidst my excuses, complacency and outright rejection, I reach out for your encouraging support. If Jesus taught me anything, it was to live differently – to offer a beautiful and life-giving alternative that leaves no question in regard to my faith and commitment. Amen.
See You at 9am or 11am
