“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked." (Luke 6:32-35)
Simple, but powerful words. It's easy to care for those who are like us and those with whom we get along. It's also easy to avoid those who are different from us and those with whom we don't get along and call that "love". "I'm avoiding any conflict with them, so I am keeping both of us in mind. It is better for the two of us to be as far apart as possible in order to not instigate any conflict or disagreement," we justify with ourselves. But is that really what Jesus wanted us to do?
Jesus, as usual, is very radical. He does not call us to do what is easy in life--loving those who love us back. He reminds us that what is greater, more worthy in God's eyes, is the love we show our enemies. I can quickly say that I don't have any real enemies because I don't get into fights and I avoid drama, but is that enough? I need to be real with myself: there are people that I avoid because I feel uncomfortable around them or because I just want to avoid any kind of disagreement that may occur. Jesus did not do that. He went straight for those who hated him the most, those who would never have a chance on their own to reach the kingdom of God. He dined with them, shared with them, spent almost all his time with them. He stretched his ability to love others and trusted that his love would be an overflow of the Father's love. He lived in the world, but was radically different from it, especially in the realm of loving others.
Lord, please teach me to love more than I am comfortable doing. Place opportunities in my life that will challenge me to trust that You will show love through me. Let me not avoid those with whom I am incompatible and show me how to love them all the more.
