Daily Scripture: Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not murder,’[Matthew 5:21 Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17] and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, ‘Fool!’ incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom! 23 So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift.
43 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Love your neighbor[Matthew 5:43 Leviticus 19:18] — and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 Then you will become children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun shine on good and bad people alike, and he sends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike. 46 What reward do you get if you love only those who love you? Why, even tax-collectors do that! 47 And if you are friendly only to your friends, are you doing anything out of the ordinary? Even the Goyim do that! 48 Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Reflection Questions
Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount (his “platform,” to use a modern political term), startlingly widened the reach of the sixth commandment (cf. Exodus 20:13). He said contempt, shown by words that tear down and destroy others, is as morally destructive as the physical act of murder. Then he expanded on that idea in the strikingly different way he taught his followers to treat enemies. Avoid anger and revenge, he said. Offer God’s expansive love to everyone.- In verse 22, the word translated “you idiot” was the Aramaic word raca. It didn’t express friendly teasing, but showed deep-seated contempt for another person. What tempts you to feel contempt for candidates or people you know who see political issues differently than you do? How would campaign ads and personal conversations change if we all lived by Jesus’ standard?
- What’s your gut response to Jesus' matter-of-fact statement that God “makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous”? Are you ever tempted to feel that because you are “right,” you should receive better treatment from God (or other people) than those who are “wrong”? Do you feel an inner tug to only try to bless other people you like, or see as “worthy”? How can you become more like God in your willingness to bless anyone who needs it?
O God, as I take in your love, help me to better understand the many dimensions of the love you pour into me—and ask me to extend to others. Amen.---------------------
Insights from Melanie Hill
Melanie Hill is the Guest Connections Program Director at Resurrection.I’m not a big fan of following politics these days which is unfortunate, because for a while in college I seriously considered being a political science major. I loved learning about our government and how things worked (or were supposed to work). These days it’s hard to listen to any commentary on our political systems or candidates. It’s all so polarizing. Unfortunately as a parent and a citizen I don’t believe I have the right to “check out.” As a citizen, I have the responsibility to help be part of the solution and as a parent, I need to teach my kids how to do the same.
In my kids’ schools they spend a lot of time discussing current events. Recently they were discussing the issues surrounding immigration. When my son came home that day he asked me why everyone was so angry about it. How to explain? The simple answer would be to share with my kids my own beliefs about the issue and tell him that everyone else is just wrong. Hmmmm–might that be the problem? I recently read a blog by Donald Miller where he said, “A map is not the same as the actual terrain. Our obsession with simplifying ideas is costing us a nuanced understanding of truth.” The issues that divide us are complex, so why do we insist on simple answers? “I’m right–you’re wrong.” Might our solutions need to be equally complex and derived from our best and brightest working together to solve them?
I don’t have all the answers to “fix” our great nation, but I do know this: Understanding your opponent may not end the disagreement, but it usually ends the anger. When we can start to see the people who think differently from us on political issues (or any issue) as, well, people who care just as deeply as we do, then it’s hard to maintain the bitterness and resentment that permeates our political culture. If we could let go of the anger then maybe, just maybe our disagreements and discussions might lead to some positive change.
Where do you need to place yourself in someone else’s shoes? Where do you need to change the tone of your language as you engage in disagreements? Understanding someone else’s point of view doesn’t mean you drop your own convictions, but it does help us interact with each other with love and grace. And that’s a great first step in healing our nation.
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
In my kids’ schools they spend a lot of time discussing current events. Recently they were discussing the issues surrounding immigration. When my son came home that day he asked me why everyone was so angry about it. How to explain? The simple answer would be to share with my kids my own beliefs about the issue and tell him that everyone else is just wrong. Hmmmm–might that be the problem? I recently read a blog by Donald Miller where he said, “A map is not the same as the actual terrain. Our obsession with simplifying ideas is costing us a nuanced understanding of truth.” The issues that divide us are complex, so why do we insist on simple answers? “I’m right–you’re wrong.” Might our solutions need to be equally complex and derived from our best and brightest working together to solve them?
I don’t have all the answers to “fix” our great nation, but I do know this: Understanding your opponent may not end the disagreement, but it usually ends the anger. When we can start to see the people who think differently from us on political issues (or any issue) as, well, people who care just as deeply as we do, then it’s hard to maintain the bitterness and resentment that permeates our political culture. If we could let go of the anger then maybe, just maybe our disagreements and discussions might lead to some positive change.
Where do you need to place yourself in someone else’s shoes? Where do you need to change the tone of your language as you engage in disagreements? Understanding someone else’s point of view doesn’t mean you drop your own convictions, but it does help us interact with each other with love and grace. And that’s a great first step in healing our nation.
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Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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