"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Thursday, 16 February 2017 with Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48| ------- |
Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’[Matthew 5:38 Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21] 39 But I tell you not to stand up against someone who does you wrong. On the contrary, if someone hits you on the right cheek, let him hit you on the left cheek too! 40 If someone wants to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well! 41 And if a soldier forces you to carry his pack for one mile, carry it for two! 42 When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something from you, lend it to him.
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.[Complete Jewish Bible]
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Today we find ourselves about a third of the way into Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. The sermon began with the Beatitudes, those lovely petitions about blessedness. Surely the crowd gathered around Jesus--the poor, the meek, the hungry--found solace in those poetic blessings from God. But now Jesus is preaching about retaliation, or rather, lack thereof. He dares to tell his followers to love their enemies, and even to pray for them. Surely by now members of the crowd are looking for a way out, an exit strategy to get far away from this itinerant preacher and his impossible calls.
I would have run. I still do. Because otherwise I'd have to love that political leader or that relative or members of that church. But just as I am ready to start running, I remember that Jesus' call--painfully uncomfortable as it is--may be the most desperately needed action of our day: loving especially those we deem cringe-worthy.
Jesus, sometimes your call to love my enemies seems impossible. Perhaps it is. Give me strength to try. Teach me how to pray for those who hurt me and oppress others. Make me a witness of your counter-cultural love. Only by your grace may I fulfill this call. Amen.
Christine Hallenbeck Ask, '15
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;
40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well;
41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.
42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.[New Revised Standard Version]
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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.[Complete Jewish Bible]
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Today we find ourselves about a third of the way into Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. The sermon began with the Beatitudes, those lovely petitions about blessedness. Surely the crowd gathered around Jesus--the poor, the meek, the hungry--found solace in those poetic blessings from God. But now Jesus is preaching about retaliation, or rather, lack thereof. He dares to tell his followers to love their enemies, and even to pray for them. Surely by now members of the crowd are looking for a way out, an exit strategy to get far away from this itinerant preacher and his impossible calls.
I would have run. I still do. Because otherwise I'd have to love that political leader or that relative or members of that church. But just as I am ready to start running, I remember that Jesus' call--painfully uncomfortable as it is--may be the most desperately needed action of our day: loving especially those we deem cringe-worthy.
Jesus, sometimes your call to love my enemies seems impossible. Perhaps it is. Give me strength to try. Teach me how to pray for those who hurt me and oppress others. Make me a witness of your counter-cultural love. Only by your grace may I fulfill this call. Amen.
Christine Hallenbeck Ask, '15
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Matthew 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also;
40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well;
41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.
42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
43 "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.[New Revised Standard Version]
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