A Real Challenge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Luke 6:27-38

Love for 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.

Judging Others

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Jesus proposes radical love.  Love enemies, do good to those who hate or berate us. Hold back from no one, etc.  Each verse is a challenge and a program for a lifetime.  If we all put these teachings into practice, how different would our families, our workplace, our world, our lives would be. Let's take some time today to come back to these verses, reflect on them and take concrete steps to implement them in our behavior. Let's also as for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the grace to follow his directives and promptings. Remember the song, "What the world needs now is love sweet love"? Let's not just sing it, let's DO IT!

Bro. Rene

Dear God, as you have loved us, so may we love one another. Amen.