How do you respond to a challenge? What challenges are hardest for you to accomplish? To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. (Luke 6:28, MSG) When you read Jesus words in Luke 6:28, how do you respond? Perhaps you think, Theres no way! Or maybe youve decided His words are no longer applicable in our day and age. But just because we think something is difficult doesnt mean were free to ignore it. And just because we dont believe something doesnt nullify truth or lower the standard. Why would God want us to live according to the words Jesus spoke? What would it take for you to do so? How might your life (and the lives of others) be changed if you did? How will you respond today to Jesus challenge? Jesus decree to love and pray for our opponents is regarded as one of the most breathtaking and gut-wrenching challenges of his entire Sermon on the Mount, a speech renowned for its outrageous claims. There was no record of any other spiritual leader ever having articulated such a clear-cut, unambiguous command for people to express compassion to those who are actively working against their best interests. (Lee Strobel)
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:40:00 +0000
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