In Matthew 5:44-45, Jesus says to His disciples,
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
This passage has recently become my new favorite. In these verses, Jesus tells His disciples, guys, you should love other people, even your enemies. You know why? Not on the basis of the Old Testaments, that is, not necessarily because of something the Scriptures have said, but on objective observations when you look at the sky. The sun which God created, it shines on both the kind and the cruel people. The clouds which God created, they also rain on both the just and the unjust.
What does that even mean? How do the two even connect? Thankfully, Jesus does not leave folks hanging for too long this time. The very next two verses help explaining this.
For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? – Mt. 5:46-47.
What He is saying here is that to love only those who are lovable, who are attractive and friendly to us, is so typical it doesn’t deserve our tweets with a hashtag or even a like. It’s just what everyone does. It’s the human way. The cool way, He is saying, is to also love our enemies, those who are mean to us, who are different from us in perspectives and opinions, that hopeless guy who votes for the other political party. That is God’s way. If we want to be more like God, then this is how we ought to love. This is how to go above and beyond. Don’t believe me? Just look at the sky and use your deductions, Sherlocks!
So, did we choose to love today?
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