Luke 6:27-39
27“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good
to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse
you. 29If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from
anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30Give to
everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for
them again. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32“If you love
those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who
love them. 33If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to
you? For even sinners do the same. 34If you lend to those from whom you hope to
receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive
as much again. 35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in
return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High;
for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your
Father is merciful.
37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn,
and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38give, and
it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running
over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure
you get back.”
39He also told them a
parable: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a
pit?
This passage holds the “Golden Rule”-do to others as you
would have them do to you. Jesus us is
challenging the world not to only do what you ought to do with those you like,
but to all people. ALL! Love your enemies, do good to those who hate
you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you, give to everyone
who begs, love those who don’t love you, lend to those you won’t receive
anything back in return. Tough words,
and certainly not the way the world, or our human nature is made up.
Vengeance, revenge, or at least pretending like someone
doesn’t exist is more prevalent of a response.
Yet Jesus is telling us that how we respond will be the response we receive.
We are called to respond in a way that people would not expect, and in turn
change the world upside down, or right side up.
Instead of judging those who judge us, don’t! Instead of condemning, don’t! Forgive! Give! For the measure you give will be the measure
you get back.
This reading ends, can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit? What does
this mean? On one hand it may mean that
we don’t know it all and so we shouldn’t lead, we need to be followers of
God. Another option might be that if we
respond as the world responds, won’t we all fall into a pit; whereas if we open
our eyes and see as Jesus, maybe we can be leaders in the world for people to
avoid the pit.
Let us pray: Judging
God, we forget that you are the judge and we are not; yet we find ways to find
fault with others while ignoring our own weaknesses. Help us to love those who are seen and
thought of as unlovable. Guide our
actions to follow in your loving, forgiving, and giving ways-and treat people
as the beautiful creations of God that you made. Amen
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