Scripture - Luke 6:27-36 But I say to you who hear: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, "bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you. "To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And form him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. "And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."
Observation - This is a very tough scripture for current day society to understand. Jesus is telling us as His disciples that when we have a problem with someone, we need to forgive them and go further and love them. It is so easy to love someone that praises us and loves us - but very difficult to love someone that has a problem with us. Jesus says here that to be sons of the Most High - you must develop a character of loving the unlovable, doing for those that can do nothing for you, and blessing those that will never bless you. There is something in the character of a Christian that goes beyond the comfortable to reach out to those that no one will reach out too. Jesus instruction here is to love your enemies. So many of us can devise plans to retaliate against our enemies but love them...I have heard preaching much of my Christian life about winning regions, taking territory and evangelizing communities. We won't do any of that until we can love our enemies and put this scripture into practice.
Application - In the litigious world we live in, the common reaction to someone wronging us is to "get them back". To either retaliate, or to file law suit, or in some way make them pay for what they have done. So many times our feelings get in the way and we want to take vengeance on the person that beats us down, or in some way offends. Jesus clear instruction here is to do exactly the opposite. We must love those that do not love us - in fact they despise us. We must love those that treat us with contempt and treat them with love. Jesus tells us that our character MUST shift to be Christ-Like in order to be sons of the Most High. The only way we can compel them to come in is to love them in - love is the most compelling strategy we have. When we fall in love with the people of our region, saint and sinner, we will see the region come in...
Prayer - Father help me to become the person described in this scripture. Help me to love the unlovable, help me to bless those that will not bless me. Help me to treat those well that treat me bad. God we love you so much and desire your outpouring this year.
