Daily Reading 9/23

Sorry for the hiatus everyone. I'm still researching t he 12 apostles question from Sunday, and I'll let you know once I find something else (if I ever do!).

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, 5:38-48. This particular passage is the love your enemies part of this Gospel. You've probably heard it before: Turn the other cheek, love your enemies...I usually hear those sentiments and think of course. I'm used to reading this passage in the NRSV translation of the Bible, but as I said works like The Message present a different approach to the text. I'm pasting the entire passage below:

38-42"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

43-47"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

48"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."


That's definitely put rather differently from the NRSV (not better or worse, mind you, but just in a different way). What is most interesting is the call to "live generously." The Message emphasizes this several times. We are to be generous people in all ways-this doesn't only apply to money. It applies to the very essence of our being. Think about this: it's hard enough sometimes to be generous with things like our money and our time, but with our very selves? I think we all have moments when we present only a certain part of ourself to a certain group of people, and then a different self to another group. Maybe it's a way to protect our inmost being from our enemies. Maybe it's laziness (think about a sports team...it would be easier for me just to be a Red Sox fan up here, right? And I could do it...but it wouldn't be completely honest. Rooting for the Reds takes work on so many levels!). There are many reasons, I'm sure, as to why we do not give people all of ourselves.

But that is what I think this passage is calling us to do. God makes it rain on saints and sinners alike. God also makes the sun shine on people. God offers all of Godself whether you choose to accept it or not.

The NRSV ends this passage saying "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." The Message reades, "Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." Either way, we are being called to live like God--which means offering ourselves fully whether this is accepted or not.

Closing thought on this particular command: man that's hard. How do I even begin to do this? First thing's first: I have to know who I am and who I'm becoming. That doesn't mean I have to see exactly who I will be in 20 years, much less 20 weeks. But I should probably have a good sense of who I am right now...So I ask you all to think about who you are deep down. How do you show that Self to others around you? Are there parts that you hide (like being a Christian? This goes back to our discussion on the Gospel of Mark on Sunday morning...think about it. Pray about it. And live generously...