Matthew 5:43-48 (NIRV) “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour. Hate your enemy.’ But here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. Then you will be children of your Father who is in heaven.
He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Even the tax collectors do that. If you greet only your own people, what more are you doing than others? Even people who are ungodly do that. So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
In spending time with my children this week (Jess is 22, Mary is 20 and Ben is almost 18), the discussions have had a surprising common thread – obeying the command to love one another. Kris and I are blessed constantly by the increasingly adult conversations we are having with our three wonderful children; doubly blessed because these conversations are in the context of shared faith and a desire to be obedient to the call of God on each of our lives.
So, the conversation about loving another has been about the struggle to love when it is difficult. Of course, we have asked questions like “what would Jesus do (and what did he say)”. We have also considered passages where the narrative sees one of God’s leaders – Moses, Daniel and Jonah being three such examples – in trying circumstances, each knowing what obedience looks like and ultimately answering that call; these all help the discussion.
The distilled thinking of contemporary Christian authors is also a helpful resource for us in such discussions these days. (I must also admit to being a fan of many writers from the 19th and early 20th century periods as well!). In challenging times, when loving is hard, the following is a summary of some very helpful suggestions that have come out of these discussions and readings. I hope they might be helpful in the way we interact with each other, and in our wider circles of contacts, each and every day.
1. Pray for my own heart – asking God to soften my heart towards this person, to put off anger and irritability, to put on meekness and kindness, to understand this person’s struggles and meet them with compassion
2. Pray for them – asking God to be at work in their hearts, drawing unbelievers to himself and bringing believers to become more like Jesus
3. Move toward them, not away from them – being intentional in moving into these difficult circumstances; finding ways to engage in conversation, meet for coffee, sending a text (very 21st century!)
4. Find specific ways to bless and encourage them – writing a note of encouragement or appreciation, telling them that you are praying for them
5. Extend grace myself, in words and actions, just as God extends grace to me – when we remember God’s lavish grace poured out for us, it should cause us to turn to God, asking for the strength to be obedient to God’s call on our lives, as Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s prayer.
6. Realize that I, too, could be (and most certainly am) the difficult person in someone else’s life – self-awareness and humility will be key here; it’s worth acknowledging here that praying for both of these attributes can sometimes yield uncomfortable answers.
But ultimately we know that it is God who is to be glorified, that our words, attitude and actions should honour Him. May it be that our hearts find deeper satisfaction as we seek to love people just as Christ loved us.
educating 4 life, too 
Leave a comment