If You Don't Have Anything Nice to Say, Don't Say Anything At All
There is nothing like a good fight. UFC is worth $4 Billion dollars because we love fighting. Reality shows became so popular because of drama, the arguments, if you were lucky the fights, we eat that stuff up. Why? Why do we so badly want to experience drama, fights, arguments?
Any sports fan has a team they love and a team they hate. Usually, it is the rival teams, if you love the Boston Red Sox than it is safe to say you hate the Yankees. I love the Dodgers (because I am a Christian) so that means I hate the Angels (might be a little irony there). Is it wrong? NO! That is how it is supposed to be. Choose sides and hate the other side.
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! (Matthew 5:43-44)
Jesus flips this whole idea on its head. He says to love your enemy with the same passion as those you call friends. Not only that but to pray for them. To add them to the list of important things and not so God will destroy them but that you will have an impact, influence.
Love those against you with the same passion
as those for you
How do you treat your enemies? There is someone in your life that seems to always be against you at work. If you recommend 'A,' they always recommend 'B.' There is a kid in school that always crack jokes at your expense. To get a laugh from the class they use you as the object.
If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
(Matthew 5:47-48)
Just a few verses later Jesus shares that anyone can be kind to friends. But as Christians (Christ followers) we are called to be different, perfect. And perfection is loving everyone, no matter who they are, no matter how they act. A church called Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago Illinois recently did a sermon series, and they infiltrated their community with signs, shirts, etc.. That shared this message. “Love Everyone Always.” Jesus is challenging us to follow Him and not the ways of the world. The world would say, hate your enemy, hate those different from you, but Christ says to love your enemies, love those different from you, love everyone always.
Love Everyone, Always.
There is someone in your life right now. Stop for a moment and think of who it is. It may be a class mate; it may be a co-worker, it may be a relative. What if instead of the normal human action you act like Christ? And instead of hate, you love. What if we did the exact opposite thing that our society would expect? Christ would be displayed through our actions. People could only see Christ because of your actions. So today, make a decision to love everyone always.
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