Hard Sayings of Jesus

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

It’s not the things I don’t understand about the Bible that bother me so much. It’s what I do understand, but find difficult to live out. Take the Sermon on the Mount for example. Jesus told His followers to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Really! 

What I know is that the world would be a much better place if every Christ follower did this well. It should be possible since God has taken up residence in us — that is, we should see progress to that effect. 

Unfortunately, a quick view of the Internet belies that teaching. Professing Christ followers seem more prone to speaking hatefully or condescendingly to their “enemies” rather than loving and praying for them.

I want to follow Christ. Somehow, He was able to put sin in its place while loving the sinner. As a matter of biblical fact, He hung around sinners, or they with Him, so much so that He was criticized for it by the hyper-religionists of His day. That is seldom said of Christ followers today. 

There is a double tragedy here. Our inability or unwillingness to follow Christ’s example to “love your enemies,” not only damages those around us, but it damages us as well. 

“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 sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matt 5:43-44