Luke 6:27-36
Why?
Love your enemies...
Agape, from Greek agapē "brotherly love, charity," from the verb agapan "greet with affection, receive with friendship; to like, love," which is of unknown origin.
Sometimes explained as *aga-pa- "to protect greatly."
Enemy, "one hateful toward and intent on harming (someone)," from Latin inimicus, literally "an unfriend."
Do what is good to those who hate you...
Good, "excellent, fine; valuable; desirable, favorable, beneficial; full, entire, complete"... "beneficial, effective; righteous, pious;" ... "righteous, pious, virtuous;" probably originally "having the right or desirable quality"... "fitting, suitable" ... perhaps originally "fit, adequate, belonging together," from ancient word meaning "to unite, be associated, suitable".
Hate, "regard with extreme ill-will, have a passionate aversion to, treat as an enemy," from ancient words meaning "sorrow, hatred"
Bless those who curse you...
Bless, from Latin benedicere and Greek eulogein, both of which have a ground sense of "to speak well of, to praise."
Curse, "to wish evil to; to excommunicate,""a prayer that evil or harm befall one; consignment of a person to an evil fate."
Pray for those who mistreat you...
Pray, "ask earnestly, beg," from Latin precare "ask earnestly, beg, entreat," from ancient words meaning "to ask, request, entreat."
Why?
Credit, "to believe, be sure of the truth of"; "to attribute, give as the cause of."
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? How does that demonstrate that God is the cause of your love?
If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? How does that demonstrate that God is the cause of your goodness?
If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? How does lending with expectation of return demonstrate that it is in God whom you trust?
Jesus clearly called for his disciples to put all of their time, talents, and treasures at his disposal without expecting any reward, material or spiritual. One shows themselves to be a "child of God" by displaying the qualities of God. Jesus calls us to be be like God, to be merciful and do things to be good, to be loving, to kind, to seek to ask on behalf of those who don't seem to deserve it.
Be a child of God and show the world the good attributes that they don't deserve. It is God-like.
What intentional sacrifice will you make?
WORLD CHRIST
⚫️ Hate ⚫️ Do good
⚫️ Curse ⚫️ Bless
⚫️ Mistreat ⚫️ Pray
It IS YOUR choice!
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