February 20 – Luke
LUKE 6:27-38
Today’s scripture lesson continues with Jesus’ instructions of how we should live our lives as His disciples. Just like last Sunday’s Gospel lesson, Jesus’ words continue to turn our world and lives upside down! I think that many of your will agree with me that Jesus’ words this week are perhaps some of the hardest to accept and obey.
Before we go any further, let me share a story with you that I read on the internet this week.
A man who had reached his 100th birthday was being interviewed by a reporter. “What are you most proud of?” the reporter asked.
“Well,” said the man, “I don’t have an enemy in the world.”
“What a beautiful thought! How inspirational!” said the reporter.
“Yep,” added the man, “I outlived every last one of them.”
Although the story made me laugh, I have to say that I don’t think this is quite what Jesus had in mind when it comes to how we should treat our enemies
Let’s listen to Jesus’ words again. “But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
When we think about Jesus’ words, we begin to realize that they are all about attitude, the attitude we have about others, and more importantly, the attitude we have about ourselves. The Oxford Dictionary defines attitude as “a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in the person’s behavior.”
I am sure all of us have heard the word “attitude” used frequently. Many of us have probably used the word this way, especially if we have raised children through the teenage years. “I don’t like your attitude!” That is, I don’t like the way that you are behaving, or, “that person has an attitude problem!” That is, they are behaving in a way that makes it difficult for you to relate to then.
Although Jesus always loves us, He may not always like our attitudes; for when it comes to our enemies, those who don’t like us, who may even wish to do us harm, Jesus asks us to have a different type of attitude that requires us to put away our own egos and insecurities, and treat our enemies in ways that are typically quite different from the world’s standard. Yep, here is the place where Jesus again turns our world and lives upside down.
Jesus’ command to “love our enemies,” was not something new in Jesus’ time. There are many places in the Old Testament where this command appears. For example, Leviticus chapter 19, tells us, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” My guess is that the people of that time also found the command hard to accept, and like some of us, at times wondered if it was beyond their human ability to attain.
About now, you are most like thinking, “Yea, I hear you, but how does this work in our world, what does love my enemies even look like?” It is here that Jesus is asking us adjust our attitude, and not hate them back, or retaliate against them in any way. That is, don’t whack them over the head with a baseball bat, but take a positive action toward the person by treating them with genuine kindness. Regardless of how they treat you, we are called to always treat them well, to use kind words no matter what. To even bless them and pray for them, and walk away from a confrontation; to not speak ill of them to others, and to forgive them in our heart for the wrongs they may have done, and to greet them and be friendly and kind to them the next time you meet.
In simplified terms, a blessing is a statement that is said about another person, as well as the conditions that fulfill those good words. It is such an important word, that it is used over 400 times in the Old Testament alone. The word, “blessing,” was used from the very beginning of creation. Genesis 1: 21-22 tells us that God created all the sea and everything in it. God saw that it was good, and He “blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the waters in the seas.” So, we see, the importance of a blessings, as well as blessing and praying for others. Blessing someone can be as simple as saying to yourself, “May the Lord Bless you and Keep you,” and really meaning it in our heart, for words without genuine change in our hearts are just empty words.
As we leave here this morning, challenged by what Jesus commands us to do, let us not forget the words of John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. And John 15:14 tell us Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” We have been given so much as Children of God, how can we not keep Jesus commandment to “Love our Enemies,” and to bless and pray for them. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:3) Amen