Your Enemies

Matthew 5:38-48 (ESV)
Retaliation
38  "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'  39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  42  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
 
Love Your Enemies
43  "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  45  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  46  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  48  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
 
Have you ever had a moment when you wanted to strike back at someone?  Someone cuts you off while you’re driving (on purpose, of course), and you want to express your disapproval.  Someone insults you, and you want to fire back.  Someone speaks ill of someone you love — your parent, your child, your spouse — and you want to have a word or two with them.  Someone takes advantage of your generosity with no intention of paying you back.  I’m fairly certain you’ve had a time or two when you felt the impulse to get back at the other person.
Have you ever felt hatred toward a person?  I’m talking about that out-and-out, complete lack of care regarding the other person’s welfare.  If something happened to them, it wouldn’t trouble your heart one bit; in fact, you might even feel smug and justified in that moment.
 
We have to remember the cultural context 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.  Pagan cultures challenge 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 where retaliation and hatred were acceptable cultural norms.  Can you imagine the stunning impact of what Jesus is saying?  Jesus calls people to a radical, revolutionary response.  Instead of getting back, instead of seeking revenge and letting hatred overwhelm you, Jesus says to God's people, be who the Lord has called you to be: the salt of the earth, the light on the hill, reflecting God’s love and grace into the world.
 
In every example that Jesus gives in this passage, Jesus is calling for a different response from the people, one that was the opposite of what was commonly accepted.  Instead of retaliating in kind, instead of allowing hate to engulf and overpower your heart and life, Jesus says respond with the love, mercy, and forgiveness the Lord has so graciously lavished on you.
 
And that’s not some pithy platitude that Jesus offers.  It’s something He lived.  When Jesus was mocked—He didn’t respond in kind; when He was struck—He endured; when the cross was laid on His back—He carried it; and when they nailed Him to the cross—Jesus prayed for the people, asking that they be forgiven.
 
As we’ve walked through this part of the Sermon, we’ve been deeply challenged to follow Jesus, to be salt and light, and to follow and reflect the heart of Jesus in the world.
It sounds huge and impossible, and in some ways it is, if we think we can do this solely through our own strength of will.  But as we entrust our lives to Christ and follow where He leads, we not only experience this amazing healing and restoring grace, but we can reflect that healing, restoring light and grace into our wounded and broken world, which craves what we have found in and through Christ alone.
 
 
God bless you, and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
 
Scott