Do good to those who hate you
Luke 6:27-31
27 ‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
No retaliation – and we say “but…”
Let people take your stuff don’t ask for it back – and we say “but…”
Jesus’ words seem ridiculous. Does not the approach that Jesus suggests lead to us being abused – physically (as we are bullied); emotionally (as we are cursed); and financially (as people take our stuff and don’t return it?
I have no answer to those objections – that is exactly what this passage would suggest – that loving our enemies means letting them take advantage of us. Of being so kind that we let those who insult us and take from us, walk over us. Living this way feels wrong – going against everything that the culture around us says is the way to live. But Jesus lived this way – he let people insult him, he let people arrest him and kill him – even though he could have defended himself. He did not exercise his self-interest choosing instead to show kindness even to those who hurt him.
We hear that in the opening line – “do good to those who hate you” – and we say, “but…”
The call to kindness, to doing good to those who are difficult to like, to those who hurt us, to those who we feel angry at – is not an easy call to follow. It is hard to like the people who don’t like us, it is hard to genuinely care for the people who insult us. Jesus says, move beyond the question, how can we possibly like such people; to instead ask, how can we show them kindness and care in action. Moving to show care with our deeds, trusting that the feelings will come afterwards. In this way we will follow Jesus, in showing kindness to our opponents and loving our enemies.
PRAYER:
O Lord, following the example of your Son, Jesus Christ, is very difficult, so often we want to quit this journey. Shape us to be people who turn the other cheek, who are generous with those who ask us for money, time, help even though we will never get any of it back, Help us Lord to live this way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.