You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. Matthew 5:43
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Matthew 5:44
To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse …. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:14, 21
Today's thoughts from today's verses:
We have difficulty grasping how truly revolutionary the teaching of Jesus on human relationships really was. We might say that such an approach to relationships is not human and in a sense we would be right. Without Divine intervention, loving our enemies is not very likely to happen. It really is a supernatural thing to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. On the other hand, such divine behavior is human in the sense that God purposed from the start that mankind be a “bless and not curse” kind of people. So then, those who live by a “curse your enemies” rule of thumb, are being something less than human and those who live by a “bless your enemies” rule of thumb are becoming the human beings they were meant to be right from the start. Jesus came to make a difference and that difference is His revolutionary mission of restoring true humanness to a “fallen” humanity.
The way things ought to be is the way things will be in the end and is the way things can be as we let God make us into big time “blessers.” The contrast between a “blesser” approach to life and a “curser” approach to life is huge. Jesus can bridge the gap and bring about His “new way” for each of us.
Today's prayer response from today's thoughts:
Lord, without you I cannot love others. Help me to be all I am here to be to others. Grant that I become a big time “blesser” through your powerful presence. May I genuinely love and not hate. Amen!
