“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” -Luke 6: 27-31

If we stop and consider the commandment to love one another, we quickly realize that it is a challenging commandment. It would be much simpler if Jesus had said, “love those who love you first.” This commandment might have been easier if Jesus said, “love the people you like.” However, that is not what Jesus said at all. Jesus did not place such simple modifiers on this commandment. In fact, Jesus took time to explain to us that love extends far beyond the limits we often create for ourselves.

The love we are called to share with the world is a reflection of the love of God. It is not limited to a small population of people. God’s love is for the whole world. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is found teaching a large gathering. The crowd consists of people from various places. Luke takes time to record that they came from, “all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon.” (Luke 6:17) They all came for different reasons, some to hear him teach and some for healing. Jesus took this opportunity to teach about love for all.

This would have been a challenging teaching as people looked at others from places that had once been considered enemy territory. So, to be clear, Jesus looks at them and says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27) This is where it gets difficult. Thankfully, we have the grace of God to help us when we fall short of the commandment to love as God has loved us.

We are called to love all people, not only when love is given to us, but in all moments and for all people. Because God’s love has first filled our hearts, we have all we need to share that love with the world. As a people of faith, we are not motivated by what others say or do, but we are moved because God first loved us.

Today is a good day to consider the deep, rich love of God. It is also a good time to consider those whom we do not find so easy to love. How can we share God’s blessings with them?  A good place to start is to pray for them by name. In praying for others, even those we struggle to love, we begin to see God’s heart for them. We are a people committed to sharing God’s love. This is no small task. Let us look to God for the grace to love as God loves. In doing so, we will bring blessings to all of God’s children.

-Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship