“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 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. 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. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:32-36)
by Jin Lee
It has been my experience that when people are good to me, it is so easy to treat them well and be good friends. I don’t mind going out of my way to help since I know that they will respond with appreciation and thankfulness. I really enjoy treating a friend to a meal or a nice gift because first we are called to serve but also selfishly, I enjoy receiving their thanks and seeing them happy. The people I have a difficult time with are those who expect things from me and those who just don’t show appreciation or thankfulness the way I expect or desire. God has been teaching me a lot lately in terms of giving and helping with no expectation of anything in return. He’s been showing me how even the giving or helping I do is tainted with my selfishness and once again proves that my “good deeds” are like filthy rags to God. I really love the above passage. In Luke 6:32 – 36, Jesus is teaching his disciples what it really means to love. If I love those who love me back, how is this different from the world? It really isn’t. Even the world loves those who love them. In the same way, if we do good to those who in return do good to us, how is this different from the world? The answer is there is no difference. True love comes when we are able to love those who hate us or do good to those who revile us. This is the love that Christ is talking about. The same way Christ loved me when I hated Him. The same way He was generous to me with His grace while I had no regard for Him. This is the love that Christ expects from me. I can try to do this on my own but eventually I will fail because this type of love is not sustainable on my own. However, this love can only come and be sustained when we plug into the power of God and ask Him to help.
It’s amazing how God continues to reveal to me just the darkness of my heart in the midst of my “good deeds.” It’s a true blessing to know that even with my darkened heart, God continues to love me. Let not my love be like the world’s. Let my love be like Christ’s.