Word of the week - Kindness Part II - Love your Enemies
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6: 27-36
As outlined below, last week I ended my Word of the Week with the statement that we are to love and show kindness “even to our enemies and people we don’t really like”. This is quite challenging but Jesus sums it up pretty clearly in the verses above. I don’t think He was confused about what He was communicating in this verse. This is counter to our human nature and our culture but such a differentiator and witness for Christians who are able to walk this out day to day, especially in comparison to other world religions. I surely have not mastered this, but I deeply desire to love my enemies and continue to pray that God will give me the capacity and power to do so in all circumstances. If we are looking for motivation other than the life of Christ and His Word, then you can be encouraged by Luke 6:22-23 that says “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven.” Be encouraged, the pain of today is producing an eternal reward in heaven.Have a blessed week.-Duane