"Meditation – 60 Days of Prayer" from The Upper Room for Monday, 15 August 2016 "Introductory Thought"

"Meditation – 60 Days of Prayer" from The Upper Room for Monday, 15 August 2016 "Introductory Thought"

Courageous ConversationsWe don’t like to acknowledge we have enemies. It seems unspiritual to believe there are people who we not merely dislike, but actually harbor ill feelings toward. It might even be more shocking to consider others view us as an enemy. As Dallas Willard admits, “Few of us manage to go through life without collecting a group of individuals who would not be sorry to learn we have died.”[1]
One way we side step admitting we have true enemies is by narrowing our circle or tribe and labeling the rest as “them.” The unacknowledged “them” we no longer view as enemies. We don’t acknowledge them at all! Jesus challenges us in Matthew 5:43-48 to a different standard. Not only do we in fact have enemies, but we are to love them. In doing so we model the love God has for us.
Our growth in discipleship and Christian maturity depends on our ability to allow God’s committed love be so “shed abroad” in our hearts (Romans 5:5) that we would be able to extend compassion, empathy, and tangible signs of mercy to those who we’d rather not even be in conversation with. It often takes courage to come to the conversation table. Sometimes it takes courage to stay at the table of conversation.
Read and meditate on Matthew 5:43-48[Matthew 5:43 “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.].
For Sample Outlines of what a Courageous Conversation might look like in your church, check out http://www.umcdiscipleship.org/topics/tools-for-leaders/courageous-conversations-sample-outlines
[1] Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy (1998) page 181.
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