Return Good for Evil

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Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

 

Meditation

            These words from the Sermon on the Mount are some of the most difficult for Christians to put into practice. Jesus is here overturning once and for all the law of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. As Gandhi said “such a law leaves the world blind and toothless”. Some of the statements of this law in the Hebrew Scriptures indeed say it is to be carried out without mercy.

            With that statement perhaps one does begin to see why Jesus would find the need to at least modify this traditional law. But Jesus is not one to modify something this bad. He seeks to end it outright. In Greek the verbs he uses throughout this passage are imperatives, that is commands. Jesus is not making suggestions here he is giving orders!

            Give to the one who begs from you Jesus commands. No really it’s not your worry whether he or she buys booze with the money or not just give. That’s what Jesus is commanding here. All through this passage we are to forget our rights, ignore the fact that we have been wronged and to be generous to everyone.

            Plain old generosity in the face of hostility can have amazing effects. I have heard more stories of hostile people being led to the Lord by this Spirit fueled generosity than I could write about if I sat here all day. Let us pray that God will enable us to be generous in the face of difficult situations.

 

Prayer

            Dear God, we give you thanks because you have been generous with us even when we were hostile to you. We love you because you first loved us and died for us while we were still sinners. Help us to extend that same love now to our neighbors who want to take or borrow things from us. Let us give into the unreasonable demands of those around us because you always give into our unreasonable demands of you. Lord empower us to love you the way you love us. Amen

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