Devotion:
Read Matthew 5:43-48.
Jesus has said repeatedly, “You have heard it said . . . but I say . . .” He’s usually referring to an Old Testament teaching. This time is different. When he says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’” he’s not citing a Mosaic Law from the Old Testament. Instead, he’s referring to what had become the default doctrine of the day: “Love your neighbor and hate our enemy.”
The irony of a command like that is that no one needs to tell us to love those who love us. That comes pretty easily! But loving an enemy…not so easy.
Jesus is teaching his followers to love their enemies, an unprecedented teaching in the ancient world. In the Old Testament, God had said, “Love your neighbor” (Leviticus 19:18), but the Scribes and the Pharisees had defined neighbors as being only people who loved them. Everyone else was an enemy. According to Jesus, this is not what God intended.
In fact, Jesus teaches that we are to go beyond just being nice to our enemies and doing good deeds to them. He says we are to show radical love to them and to pray for them.
Jesus is showing us that Christian love is characterized by “more” – doing more than what the rest of the world does. He wants us to love radically and be salt and light in the world. His message is to live generously and graciously toward all people, for this is the way God is toward us.
Personal Worship Option:
Jesus challenges his followers to the height of love, which will shine through the darkness of difficult relationships. Reflect today on how to let Christ’s light shine through you in your own difficult relationships.
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