Wednesday after the Fourth Sunday of Easter
Having warned us to honor our vulnerability, to use it as a resource to get beneath our privilege, Jesus goes to the first lesson of discipleship for Luke. Matthew at least has the decency to let us approach this lesson more slowly.
"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked." Luke 6:35
I have never fully liked this teaching. Who has? This conversation about a love that turns the other cheek is not subtle. Nor is it an easy beginning place. If one is goal oriented, this is one few of us would set early.
In fact if I remember my formative years correctly, this lesson runs contrary to the rules of survival. I grew up with two brothers and a much younger sister. We "scrapped" a fair amount. I was called the Bull by my father mostly because I would fight to near death with my stronger, older brother if I thought he was wrong or unfair. I never won. Once my father told us his Dad had told him, "Remember if you pick up a stick, you are suddenly as big as your opponent." Next thing my father knew I was chasing my older brother with a 2 x 4 with a nail in the end. Too quickly I had become a convert to this new theory and my father, a not so wise teacher. Soon I learned this was not the lesson he intended for our family.
For boys anyway, loving your enemy is a lesson left for Sunday School and not much reinforced outside. There are lessons about sportsmanship, but just beneath is another lesson of winning at considerable cost. Yet for Luke, loving your enemy is a beginning place. Perhaps he begins here because it is so contrary to earth bound rules of survival, or so we think.
If one is to learn how to gain the compassionate life, begin with the full challenge. The opportunistic business person soon learns that networks are better than mere competition. Learn what you can from whomever you can and it may well pay off. Converting competition into colleague can work to your benefit.
A good game of tennis or golf or bridge or basketball is the result of being willing to enter the game and learn. Too much playing for blood, and the game becomes counterproductive for the spirit.
But Jesus is asking us for something far deeper. He is asking us to disarm one another. Like it or not we are being instructed in non-violent resistance. Instead of picking up the reaction of violence for violence, go deeper. Love has to do with seeking to understand each other. It has to do with walls coming down or at least peering over them to seek understanding. Odd to say, but it is a life challenge. He goes on to say this will be aided, become visible by our generous response of lending aid not for material gain but relationship gain at best. Expect nothing in return. That is the only way to be surprised by whatever gain is to be had. Yet Jesus is going for something deeper. He wants us to know what it is to house God.
"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked." Luke 6:35
We get to choose if we want to know this. The reward is not stated here to be in heaven. It is in our beings. It is in accepting the touch of godliness so seldom comprehended early in life when we are learning the rules of fair play and deciding if we would rather have a 2 x 4 to up our wins.
My remaining brother and I long ago put away the play of competition. We much prefer a good dinner together and the humor of story and life lessons. We both work variously at growing deeper. I am less challenged by, "love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return." I am more pleased by its gentler effect. Do the gererous thing for the feel of kindness. I still have work to do.
Don't we all?
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