Second Mile Love: Matthew 5:43-48

Second Mile Love – Matthew 5:43-48 – Parsons UMC – February 23, 2014

Jesus in these verses is telling us that answering his call is about a different kind of love.  Jesus calls to a second mile love; a love that continues regardless of how we feel.  In our culture, we are frequently taught to love only those who are nice to us and give us something in return.  Politicians pass laws that favor those who given them the most money.  Contracts are awarded to those who do extra favors.    Every day in the news, we hear about people being assaulted or even murdered for just being in someone else’s way.  They could have been an obstacle to the other’s career or relationship or to winning an election.   So perhaps we think we do not have any enemies since we do not engage in unjust behaviors.  I mean after all we are friendly to everyone.  We are not planning to murder, assault or bribe anyone.  On the other hand, maybe we say to ourselves I already pray for my enemies; I mean I pray for the Taliban in Afghanistan and for the gang warfare in my community so I am set right?  However, what about the person at work whom you make sure you never sit next to at lunch or the person at church whom we avoid.  Are we not by our actions classifying them as enemies?  Do we pray for those who have different ideas than us about how the Sunday school should be run or are we still holding a grudge against the chairperson of the rummage sale committee because they did not take our ideas?  In God’s eyes, we are no better off than the murderer because our sins of bitterness and resentment keep us trapped too.

Perhaps we are like the 98 year old man in the story; Father James Martin tells who stands up and says I have no enemies and when the priest asks him how this is so?  The man replies,” All those bastards have died!”  Yet he still has enemies.   Why? Because his anger indicates that, he is still holding grudges against them and cannot move on.    This bondage is not what Jesus wants.  He wants us to live a life of freedom.

However, God gives us free will.  We can hold to our grudges and stay stuck in past.  Yet over time, this does not accomplish anything.  I can think of times in my life when I was so angry that I lost sleep for several days and could think of nothing but plotting revenge.  Did brooding over this situation do anything; in fact, it brought suffering on me.  I wasted a week of my life preoccupied with hate rather than living in the freedom Jesus desires for me.  Jesus is always waiting for us but we have to choose to surrender. 

Now; just to clarify for a moment; we are not going to like everybody nor does Jesus expect us to open ourselves to abuse and mistreatment.   Loving our enemies means treating everyone with respect and not reacting in anger but rather responding with love.  Sometimes this might mean being silent or other times it might mean going to someone in authority.  Most often, however; what is required is for us to allow God to change our hearts. 

Where do we start?  First, we must start with surrender and admit that since only our Heavenly Father is perfect that we need God’s help.  Then we need to admit our own shortcomings before God and admit that we are in many ways like our enemies.  Next, let us consider listing our enemies. Then perhaps we can start with one or two specific people and pray for them every day. 

The Episcopal Priest, Linda Taylor, describes it this way, “Praying for our enemies means to go with them into God’s presence. We cannot simply send them there, and we cannot just send God after them. We cannot sic God on our enemies as we sic a dog on an intruder. Praying for our enemies means going with them into the Presence—being part of the healing—seeking healing for ourselves just as we seek healing for those whom we see as evil. Above all, the decision to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us means opening our deepest selves to transformation—daring to take one step out of the familiar into the places where we have yet to go.”

Our enemy (real or perceived) may never stop their taunting, their indifference or intimidation but our perspective will change.  We will no longer worry about what our enemies will do or not to do but will simply be free to respond with love. 

As God changes our hearts and we are filled with the Holy Spirit; then we will seek to be salt and light to the world as Jesus has asked us to.  What does this look like?  It means that we will stop using the word hate and take the time to teach others not to hate.  We will not allow those who are different us to be demonized; nor allow ourselves to be influenced by the protests; signs; commercials and speeches that promote hate.  They tell us to have nothing to do with those who are Muslim or homosexual or those who are Latino or who are poor.  They tell us to not even to speak with those in the opposite political party or try to understand those who are Afghan, Iraqi, or North Korean.  All of these people are God’s children whether they believe in Jesus or not.  Loving our enemies means allowing the transformative power of God to work through all.  It means making tough choices.

A Cambodia man whom I will call John because I cannot pronounce his given name tells one incredible story of choosing love not hate.  John at the age of 14 saw 13 members of his family murdered by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.  While plotting his revenge, John lived in a number of refugee camps and eventually immigrated to Canada.  Yet his plan was still to find those responsible and kill them.  In Canada, John came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior and began to experience God’s healing.  However, as time moved on; he realized that his preoccupation with desiring to kill these men was destroying him.  John needed to turn his bitterness over to God and as he sought to forgive those who killed his family; he discovered a new purpose.  John began to feel called to find the men who hurt his family and tell them of Christ’s love.  Several years later, John made trip to Cambodia and found two of the men involved in committing those atrocities.  He shook their hands and said he forgave them.  John continues to serve as a missionary in Cambodia. 

The writer and activist; Shane Claiborne who speaks often on the subject of loving your enemies talks about one life-changing experience he had.  Claiborne and some others traveled to Iraq in March 2003 to get to know the Iraqis as people and meet with Iraqi Christians.  As they were leaving the country, their car broke down in the desert in the midst of bombs coming down.  Some Iraqis came along and picked them up.  Yet they did not shoot or imprison them but rather took them back to their community and nursed them to back to health.  This town of Rutba had many reasons to hate Americans; as they had been bombed numerous times; one of those times their hospital was destroyed.  However, they chose love instead of hate; Shane and his friends were restored to health and the assisted in leaving the country safely.  A bond of friendship was formed between the Iraqis and Americans that continues.

Those two stories illustrate that the transforming love of Christ knows no bounds.  As scriptures tell us, nothing is impossible with God.   We do not need to be afraid; for when we surrender all to Jesus; he goes before us and guides us.

 Let us consider these questions. What we do need to surrender to Jesus this day?  How can we extend Jesus’ love to all people?

In the Name of the One who creates, redeems and sustains. Amen. 

Further Resources on learning to love your enemies 

http://clearfaithpublishing.com/homilies/ - Father James Martin S.J. 's story comes from the book; Naked, And You Clothed Me: Homilies & Reflections for Cycle A

www.quadratos.com - quote from Rev. Linda Taylor comes from their blog

http://theforgivenessproject.com/ - the story of the Cambodian man, John comes from this website 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypfVjQynwes - Youtube Video of Shane Claiborne discussing loving your enemies