January 6

GENESIS 13:5-15:21

MATTHEW 5:27-48

PSALM 6:1-10

PROVERBS 1:29-33

Love For Enemies.

Jesus ends his sermon on the mount with one of the foundational ideas of Christianity.  Jesus unloads a crazy command, that till this day, is something many people struggle to perfect.  Love your enemy, and pray for those who persecute you.

It is almost certain that if you follow Jesus there will be people who hate you for it.  Christ was treated this way, and if you follow Him the way you should, then you will, at one time or another, be persecuted for His name sake. 

With that in mind Jesus says love your enemy, pray for those who persecute you.  Why would we do this?  The times we are being persecuted, hated, cursed, and ridiculed are opportunities to show our example of Christ.  When we follow Christs command we are being made like Him, and in being made like Him we are different from the rest of the world.  

If you only love those who love you than you are no different that the rest of the world.  Following Christ is a call that causes us to be different.  How would our world look if we truly grasped this concept of love.

We cannot expect the rewards of Christians if we do not live at a higher standard than every one else.  Jesus ends this section with an exhortation; "be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect." 

This in no way is meant to as sinlessness, we must understand this, it is the duty of all Christ followers to desire and aim toward perfection in grace and holiness.  This portion of scripture gives us the first steps in living a life that is pleasing to God.  

Take Matthew 5 and hold it in the walls of your heart and allow this to be a guide for your walk in Christ.  Blessings!