Luke 6:27–38 (ESV)
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Have you ever had that moment when you wanted to strike back at a person? Someone cuts you off when you’re driving (on purpose of course) and you want to express your disapproval to them. Someone insults you and you want to fire back. A person speaks ill of someone you love; your parent, your child, your spouse and you would like to have a word or two with them. A person takes advantage of your generosity with no intention to pay you back. I’m fairly certain that you’ve probably had a time or two when you felt that impulse to get back at the other person.
Have you ever had a time when you’ve felt hatred towards a person? I’m talking about that out and out complete lack of care regarding the other person’s welfare. If something were to happen to them it wouldn’t trouble your heart one bit, in fact, you might even feel a bit smug and justified in that moment.
We have to remember the context of the culture when Jesus is speaking. Remember that Jesus is speaking to Jewish people and the Jewish people in this cultural context are surrounded by enemies. The Romans are an occupying force imposing harsh rules and taxes on the people. There are pagan cultures that are challenging the Jewish culture. There are struggles inside the Jewish community as well; anger is birthing Jewish nationalist movements and there are social and economic differences that are separating Jewish people from one another. Injustice, separation, disunity, poverty, corruption; all fertile grounds spawning hatred and retaliation.
Jesus is speaking into that culture. Can you imagine the stunning impact of what Jesus is saying?
This is the kingdom of God breaking into the world with Jesus leading the way.
It’s this absurd and lavish love of God, not just for us and for the ones we love, like, and approve of, but also for the wicked, for the worst, and for those who have wounded you deeply.
The point of it all is not about having a list we keep so we can check the boxes and say, “I’ve done well today.”
Rather, the point Jesus is making is that we are to be like this because this is what God is like; generous, giving, good, and absurdly merciful and forgiving.
This is who God is and who He has been to us and it’s who we are to be when Jesus says, “Follow me.”
Now we know we won’t be perfect, far from it actually, because we’re all limited, flawed human beings. But this is what were called to be as citizens of the kingdom of God, this is what we’re to strive after, and this is exactly what the world needs to see in us today; the absurdly generous and overflowing love, mercy, and forgiveness of God, being poured out from us into the mud, mess, and brokenness of our world today (which, by the way, doesn’t sound all that different from this day when Jesus was speaking to His disciples).
God bless you and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
Scott