43. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. 45. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47. And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Otto von Bismarck says, "When a man says he approves of something in principle, it means he hasn't the slightest intention of putting it into practice."
Jesus is confusing more and more people when makes practical the results of a heart changed by God. Last week we looked at the impossible challenge to exchange good for evil. Jesus told them to do what is contrary to their human nature. He told them to turn the other cheek, to walk the extra mile, to give to someone who wanted to borrow.
If our rights are given over to the Lord and our hearts are given to the Lord and He chooses to use us, He wants us to be witnesses of a superhuman type of love. Such love is contrary to human nature; to love, bless, and pray for our enemies and for those that persecute us and are against us. It's fine in principle, but Lord, do you seriously think we could practice that?
There was a story in the Sunshine Magazine about a professor of psychology who had no children, whenever he saw a neighbor scolding a child for some wrong doing he would say, "You should love your boy not punish him". One hot summer afternoon the professor was doing some repair work on the concrete driveway leading to his garage. Tired out after several hours of work, he laid down the trowel, wiped the perspiration from his forehead and started toward the house, Just then out of the corner of his eye was a mischievous little boy putting his foot into the fresh cement. He rushed over grabbed him and was about to spank him when a neighbor leaned out the window and said, "Watch it professor. Don't you remember? You must love the child. " At this he yelled back furiously, "I do love him in the abstract, but not in the concrete."
One historian of the early church wrote, "These Nazarenes propose to beat the world with two important weapons - love and a blameless life." We know that the best way to handle an enemy is to beat him or run from him.
I have made the statement, if every time you pet a dog and it bites you, you soon stop petting the dog. Jesus didn't handle His enemies that way. He loved them to win them over to Himself. Even then most spurned His love.
Application: Practice praying for those who are today a frustration or hurt for you.
Prayer: Lord, I want to love like You love. Help me to see others through Your eyes and to love them unconditionally.
