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Luke 6 English Standard Version (ESV)

Love Your Enemies

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

 

REFLECTION:

  1. Jesus calls us to love our enemies, to bless, to pray for them, and turn the other cheek. This often frightens us, and we tend to ignore it. What Jesus is actually asking is for us to break the cycle of hostility and animosity.
  2. God, after all, broke this pattern by one bold act of love, sending His son to suffer and die for our sins. As we respond to that love, accepting the salvation Christ brings, our whole attitude toward God has changed, and we now love and want to please Him.  It is not easy, but following Christ has never been easy.  Yet, it does make us free.
  3. Name a person who has wronged you. Ask Jesus to give you His forgiveness for that person and take away the hatred and revengeful attitude in your heart.

 
PRAYER:

Lord, You teach us to love our enemies, but how hard it is to love our enemies. In my life, there have been people who have hurt me, and I still have resentment towards them in my heart. Lord please give me strength and let me learn to love them step by step. Let me start by not hating or revenge for them, and slowly learn to forgive them, sympathize with them, and endure them and love them. Lord, I know it is for my own good to do so. My own pain cannot be healed without forgiveness. Lord, You are the Prince of Peace, You sacrificed Yourself to bring reconciliation to the world, I am Your disciple, I would like to imitate You! No matter how difficult it is, I am willing to follow Your teachings, please walk with me, let me take the first step of forgiveness today. Amen!

 
HYMN:

Forgiveness – youtu.be/vbcocOfKM_U