Do to others as you would like them do to you!

Luke 6:27-38

"To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. 28 When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person. 29 If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. 30 If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit- for- tat stuff. Live generously. 31" Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! 32 If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run- of- the- mill sinners do that. 33 If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden- variety sinners do that. 34 If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. 35 "I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give without expecting a return. You'll never-- I promise-- regret it. Live out this God- created identity the way our Father lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we're at our worst. 36 Our Father is kind; you be kind. 37" Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults-- unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don't condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you'll find life a lot easier. 38 Give away your life; you'll find life given back, but not merely given back-- given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity."

Food for thought!

In this passage, Jesus teaches us some great facts about the Christian life.

(i) Christian life is positive. Christ summarises it in the maxim, do to others as you would have them do to you (Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them). Non of us wants bad things to be done to him or her; we all want good things for ourselves. That is why Christian life consists of doing good to others as we would have them do to us.

It does not consist in not doing bad things only; it consists especially in doing good things; it consists, not in refraining from bad things, but in actively doing good things. It is not enough not to do evil, it important to actively do good. Many of us can avoid doing evil; but do we do good to others? We shall be judged not just for doing evil, but also for not doing good to others when we could.

(ii) The Christian life is based on the extra thing. Jesus described the common ways of sensible conduct and then dismissed them with the question, "What special grace is in that?" So often people claim to be just as good as their neighbours. Very likely they are. But the question of Jesus is, "How much better are you than the ordinary person?" It is not our neighbour with whom we must compare ourselves; we may well stand that comparison very adequately; it is God with whom we must compare ourselves; and in that comparison we are all in default.

(iii) What is the reason for all this Christian conduct? The reason is that it makes us like God, for that is the way God acts. God sends his rain on the just and the unjust; his sun shines on all, the good and the bad. God's love embraces saint and sinner alike. It is that love we must copy; if we, too, seek even our enemy's highest good we will in truth be the children of God.