Luke 6:22-33

One of the things I’ve noticed Christians struggle with most is, loving their enemies. While it’s fairly easy to love those who love you, and do good to them who reciprocate it, Jesus commanded the church to show the same meekness and compassion to their enemies. To the babe in Christ, the concept of loving someone who could care less about your wellbeing can be hard to grasp, but after careful study and meditation on the life Jesus lived on the earth, a greater understanding of love will be revealed.

God loved the world so much, that He gave His best to save it. Jesus loved God’s people to the point He laid down His life, allowed men to scourge, thrash, and mangle His body, so the wages of sin could forever be washed away. During the time when Jesus gave this message in our text, the Jews hated the Romans, because they persecuted and oppressed the people of God. So, it may have seemed strange to hear, “Love your enemies”. The love Jesus referenced wasn’t deep affection, rather the willingness to forgive and possibly influence. The church is commanded to love all men the same, whether they have received salvation or not, because it’s the duty of the believers to win lost souls, not shun them away.

From the Old Testament to the New, the focus of those who walk after righteousness is, to compel men to come to God. Daniel 12:3 reads, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

As followers of Christ, the church has been commissioned to love and not hate, reach and not reject, influence and not contaminate, help and not hurt. Just because a man or woman has yet to accept God into their hearts, doesn’t give a believer the right to reject them, because God created them, and loves them just the same. Instead, we should should show sincere love to everyone we meet, especially to those who possibly hate our stinkin’ guts. Always remember, we were once lost in sin, and needed someone to help bring us in. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7).

In conclusion, sow love, even when it’s hard, so that you can reap a harvest of blessings and favor from God, and man.