Despicable Me

Have you ever read something in the Bible you've read at least a million times and found something else that it says, teaching you something completely new? If you haven't, chances are you don't read the Bible much. Nevertheless, I had one of those experiences just a few moments ago that I would like to share.

Reading in Luke 6:27-36 Jesus talks about loving, giving, and doing good in the most radical way possible. In my own horrible attempt at summing up this passage, it says, "Whatever extremes people may go to treating you with disregard, it doesn't matter, they are worthy of the same love that God has showed you!"

If that's not convicting enough, there is a particular portion of it that totally threw me off. It's found in verse 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"

What I found of great interest was that last clause (i underlined it for you). The thought that I arrived to was in thinking on the list of activites given in the previous ten scriptures. And then I imagined actually being able to carry those out. Like most sermons, the listeners had to maybe begin putting themselves in that lifestyle, or at least thinking about it. Imagine if you were a radical giver, lover, and doer like Jesus describes here. Imagine how good that would feel. Imagine the blessing you would obtain in life. Imagine the example you would be to all believers everywhere. Oh the greatness and joy in that life. And we find ourself even now as we imagine, that is what we strive for. That walk of perfection. But then right as we swamp ourself with a picture of greatness, being called sons of the Most High, we are reminded it is only because God chooses to be kind "to the UNGRATEFUL and EVIL". Whoa!!!

You mean even if I "achieve" this level of radical giving, loving, lending, and doing that I am still ungrateful and evil? That doesn't sound fair. Yet that is almost verbatum what Jesus said, that if we do those things we will be called sons, because God is kind to UNGRATEFUL and EVIL people. He must have been talking about those we are acting towards. No, he is talking about the ones doing the acting!

In our best possible attempts to obey a list of "holy" action, we will never deserve God's favor. It will always be unmerited. I think about how often i long to live this perfect life that God will somehow be pleased with. If I only was "holy" more and "sinned" less. Not that there is ever any tolerance of unchecked sin with God, we also have to grasp that even if we were the picture of the most radical Christian on the planet, our acceptance with God will never be based on that. He loves and chooses us because He wants to and He is good. Always remember, "This is love: NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." Our best love and attempts at holiness will always be tainted at best. God loves you. Be thankful and really try and grasp today just how awesome, great, pure, and powerful that love is.