Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven;” vss. 43-45a
In recent months, deep divisions have emerged in our country among people holding divergent opinions about a wide variety of subjects. Some of this has to do with political preferences, conservative vs. liberal, and the usual kind of party differences. But this time it seems something has changed. Deep-seated resentments have risen to the surface and cracks have emerged in long-time friendships. People are finding it hard to have civil discourse with those they’ve known for many years. Some have adapted by retreating into a silent mode…they don’t want to be involved in perpetual arguments so they just stop talking about certain subjects. It is true that debate isn’t going to stop the conflict…too many have stopped listening and there’s no longer agreement about what used to be known as facts. These are times to turn back to scripture and take to heart Jesus’ words about loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. He reminds us that God loves all people and offers blessings to all, even the evil and unrighteous. There’s gotten to be too much hatred among us…the vitriolic attacks in personal encounters and in social media are just unacceptable. We aren’t going to agree with everyone, but Jesus calls on us to love everyone…no exceptions!
Thought for the Day: How have my relationships been damaged recently?
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