40. You Give Love a Bad Name

I read this two days in a row, yesterday in the NIV and today in the NIV and the Message. It's strong, so brace yourself for a challenge from Christ.

An Eye for an Eye / Love for Enemies (Matthew 5:38-48):

This is how the Message puts it:

Love Your Enemies

^38-42"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

^43-47"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

⁴⁸"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

Basically, Jesus is telling us to get with the program - it's time to act like we're in the Kingdom business. If God loves everybody, regardless of their sins, attitudes, and personalities (because He wants to, not because He has to), then Jesus says we should too. Christ commanded generosity, even to those that slam us, take advantage of us, and rip us off. Sounds a lot like what Jesus did that time when he died for all of our sins.

Today, I am challenged to get off of the stage I've built for myself in this world, making me better and more deserving of love than others, and get into the Kingdom mindset that God has set up of loving the unlovable and even blessing the undeserving. After all, I was the unlovable, undeserving person once, and because Jesus paid my fees and gifted me love, I choose not to take his command to follow up and dish out love lightly anymore.

Jesus, you get me every time....