Are you tired of the cycle yet? Violence leads to pain, which leads to fear, when leads to anger, which leads to more violence. If only someone could come up with a way to stop that cycle! Can’t any of our political or spiritual leaders point us to a response to atrocities that doesn’t lead to more atrocities?
Actually, someone did. But it’s never on our radar when things like this happen. It’s an old principle that we often read and give lip service to, but when it really matters, when the rubber really hits the road, they are the last words we want to take seriously.
I want to suggest that the words and actions of Jesus offer us another way of thinking and acting that might just be a way out of this mess.
Here’s what He said, as recorded in Luke chapter 6:
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 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.”
You may say that this will never work and that it’s not a practical solution. That’s fine. Can I simply ask that you spend some time thinking about this principle each time you prepare to respond in the ways that you think will be more effective? Please give it a chance. Thanks.
