A WORD FOR TODAY, August 25, 2022
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, August 25, 2022
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:38-48, WEB
There is a picture I’ve seen on the internet that shows a small patch of grass that is between two townhouses. It is about three feet wide and six feet long. The neighbor on the right mowed his lawn, including this patch of grass, except he only mowed his side of the patch. The other side is tall and unmowed, and it looks silly. There is no reason why the neighbor could not have just done the whole thing; it would have taken seconds, just one pass with the lawnmower. It was probably harder to make the perfect line between the houses than it would have been to just do the whole patch. The caption says, “Whatever you do in life, don’t be like this neighbor.”
We don’t know the relationship between these neighbors. It could be that the neighbor on the left has done things to make the other angry. It could be that the neighbor does not deserve even the smallest kindness. There are always two sides to every story, and we automatically assume the mower is a jerk, but we don’t know the motivation for the mower to ignore that few square feet of grass. It is possible that the neighbor has done it over and over again and is sick of the other has taken advantage of them. It is even possible that the mower has been told not to cross the line. That attitude is as silly as not being willing to mow the space.
In today’s passage, Jesus is addressing our relationship with enemies, but who is our enemy? The word “enemy” is defined, “a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.” I’ve watched enough of the television court shows to know that neighbors argue over the silliest things and act like they are enemies. The picture of the half-mowed patch might just be the evidence of such a relationship. We might have good motivation to avoid doing this kind of small kindness for our neighbors, but today’s scripture reminds us that Jesus has called us to go the extra mile.
Matthew chapters five through seven is a discourse by Jesus that has come to be known as the Sermon on the Mount. These three chapters make up the longest continuous teaching of Jesus in the scripture and it is made up of multiple beloved texts, such as the Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer. The sections speak on topics such as how to live, the law, murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, revenge, enemies, generosity, prayer, true treasure, worry, judgment and spirituality. It is generally agreed that the sermon emphasizes Jesus’ moral teaching and that the last verse in today’s passage is the focus of the text: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Jesus mentions His Father in fifteen verses in those chapters: 5:16, glorify your Father. 5:45, be sons of your Father. 5:48, be perfect as your Father. 6:1, live for your Father. 6:4, don’t live to be seen by men, but live to be seen by your Father. 6:6, pray to your Father. 6:8, trust your Father to know. 6:9, address God as your Father. 6:14, your Father will forgive as you forgive. 6:15, your Father will not forgive if you do not forgive. 6:18, keep your fasting secret and only seen by your Father. 6:26, your Father provides. 6:32, your Father knows what you need. 7:11, your Father is gracious. 7:21, your Father receives those who live according to His will.
Imagine what our world would look like if everyone lived according to these fifteen dicta. Granted, we are human, and we will never be perfect as God is perfect. We will probably treat some of our neighbors as enemies in one way or another. Yet, that should never stop us from being as perfect as we can be, and it is surprising how easily we fall into a life that glorifies God if only we live as if we are living for our Father in heaven, trusting in His Word, and letting Him rule the way we deal with others. Think about it: if you are living for your Father in heaven, aren’t you more likely to share your bread with your neighbor, treat your co-worker with compassion, or mow that last few feet of grass? Aren’t you more likely to do what is right and kind, no matter the attitude of the other?
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