A Morning Cup of Tea: Retaliation and Loving Your Enemies

Good morning! Today we are going to finish up chapter 5 of Matthew.Verses 38-48.I won't be copying all the verses this time, just a few.

38.Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
 Jesus goes on to say in the following verses that if a man sues you for your coat, give him your cloak also. It does not make you weak to resist fighting back. Fighting back, in my opinion, only escalates things. Both parties get angrier and hate grows stronger. What is accomplished?
  These next few verses I am going to copy and leave it at that. Jesus says it clearly and far better than I ever could:
43. Ye have heard that it hath been said; Thou shalt love thy neighbor , and hate thine enemy.
44.But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you'
45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47. And if ye salute our brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

I will end with this: God expects more of us because we are His children. He knows that we will never fully measure up to perfection here on earth, but that should never be an excuse for us to not try.  Each day I write this study, I see ways that my own life can be changed. I feel like I should be so much farther along in my Christian walk, but this race isn't about who finishes first. It's about continuing the race to the end, being encouraged by others to become stronger with each passing step.And when we stumble, someone is always there to lend a hand and pick us back up. Sometimes we don't see the hand because we aren't looking, but help is always there. Have a wonderful day.

Good morning! Today we are going to finish up chapter 5 of Matthew.Verses 38-48.I won't be copying all the verses this time, just a few.

38.Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
 Jesus goes on to say in the following verses that if a man sues you for your coat, give him your cloak also. It does not make you weak to resist fighting back. Fighting back, in my opinion, only escalates things. Both parties get angrier and hate grows stronger. What is accomplished?
  These next few verses I am going to copy and leave it at that. Jesus says it clearly and far better than I ever could:
43. Ye have heard that it hath been said; Thou shalt love thy neighbor , and hate thine enemy.
44.But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you'
45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven:for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47. And if ye salute our brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

I will end with this: God expects more of us because we are His children. He knows that we will never fully measure up to perfection here on earth, but that should never be an excuse for us to not try.  Each day I write this study, I see ways that my own life can be changed. I feel like I should be so much farther along in my Christian walk, but this race isn't about who finishes first. It's about continuing the race to the end, being encouraged by others to become stronger with each passing step.And when we stumble, someone is always there to lend a hand and pick us back up. Sometimes we don't see the hand because we aren't looking, but help is always there. Have a wonderful day.