6 Biblical Principles of Martin Luther King JrExemplo

READING

The six verses of Matthew 5:43-48 may be the most transcendent verses in the Bible. In just a few phrases, Jesus gave the world a new ethic of love that extends beyond anything the original hearers could have imagined—and beyond the limits of our experiences today, too.

Think of those New Testament-era Jews, sitting on the mountainside, listening to Jesus teach. Love the Romans?! They must have thought. The ones who abuse us, oppress us, overtax us, and subjugate us? Are you kidding, rabbi?

Now consider the enemies in your life. Perhaps you have thoughts like these: Love the one who abused me? Love the one who betrayed me? Who took advantage of me? Who belittled and shamed me?

Truly, putting Jesus’s teaching to “love your enemies” into practice will push you into new territory—transcendent territory—beyond anything you’ve experienced before. The first step is profound: “pray for those who persecute you.” Loving your enemies begins with action. It’s not an emotion or a feeling, it’s an act of love—bringing the one you hate to the Father in prayer.

The world began to change when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders loved their enemies. They loved through nonviolent resistance, driven by a powerful dream for unity. Their actions were transcendent for their time and place.

REFLECTION

What is a transcendent action of love you could take toward an enemy—something beyond your normal limits?

In the context of Matthew 5:21-48, “be perfect” in verse 48 is not a call for absolute sinlessness, but rather consistency to obey God’s law as interpreted by Jesus. It’s a transcendent call to imitate God by loving others in profound, countercultural ways.

Read Leviticus 19. It’s a collection of practical and ethical laws of God for the nation of Israel. Jesus reinterpreted this passage. “Neighbor” doesn’t just mean other people in one’s nation. It means all people, including enemies.

PRAYER

Dear God, how can I love those who have hurt me? Fill me with your grace and strength to practice transcendent love. Show me the limits of my love, and then show me how to move beyond them. Thank you for loving me as profoundly. In Jesus’s name, Amen.