This morning I am reading from Luke's Gospel another one of those challenging verses, the kind we normally like to skip. Here are the verses - Luke 6:35-38 NIV:
[35] But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
[37] “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. [38] Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
As I read these verses, the most important thing is the perspective of the Father's heart. Jesus is speaking the Father's heart, and He is describing His actions. He does love His enemies. He does good to them. He gives to them without expecting anything back, He is merciful and kind to all, regardless of their alignment or affinity to Him. That is such an amazing truth.
So many try to paint a picture of God as an angry God, waiting to punish us for our sins. Here we have His very Son describing Him and, according to Him, the Father isn't like that at all. In fact He loves and cares for His enemies, rather than destroying them or punishing them. He is merciful to those that are ungrateful and unappreciative, just as much as He is to those that love Him.
Often times we hear all these religious rules, about how to live pure and righteous lives. We hear all these "do not" rules, but rarely are the two that Jesus lists, put on that list - "do not judge" and "do not condemn"! Those are a couple of "do nots" that I can actually embrace, for they directly impact my own experience. Jesus calls us to the much more difficult action, forgiveness. Being able to truly forgive, to lead with forgiveness takes amazing strength and humility. I know for me the only way I can do that is to walk in the embrace of the Lord, for I don't have the strength or ability to treat people the way the Father does.
I am not sure why its so easy to judge and condemn, but I know that for me they both come pretty naturally. I know in my life I am always comparing myself to others, I guess this is the fruit of a poor self esteem. Regardless of the source in my life, Jesus makes it pretty clear here, we are not to judge, nor condemn others.
Finally, the good news of these last few sentences is amazing. Forgive and we will be forgiven, give and we will receive abundantly. If we want to be blessed, the way to do that is to give, if we want to be forgiven then we need to give that as well. This is so true in pretty much any area of our lives, we are called to act first, before we receive.
I remember a time in college where I felt like all I had been doing was giving, and I decided to just stop and see who really cared. It was an interesting experiment for I found that the moment I stopped giving, I stopped receiving. If I remember correctly the Lord pretty much said these same to my heart. If I want to receive, I have to give. I guess its just like a door that only opens from my side. If I swing it open from my side, the Lord is able to bring much through that open door, once its opened. But if I don't open that door, nothing can come in.
Imagine how different our society would look if the church was able to fully embrace these verses. Imagine if we all did not judge or condemn, and instead we all gave and forgave. Imagine if the four things written in the foyer of all our churches were the following:
1) Do Not Judge
2) Do Not Condemn
3) Do forgive
4) Do give
Wow, that would be awesome! Lord, I pray that You will help us all to embrace these simple but difficult truths. Lord help us to emulate the Father's heart in everything we do! Amen and Amen!
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