Love Your Neighbour (And Your Enemies)Sample

Gift-giving is a fascinating thing. Although gifts are meant to be about generosity, we have a habit of giving to those who we deem worthy, and to those who can give back. For most of the world, and throughout most of history, gift-giving is bound up with social connection and mutual obligation. It’s reciprocity. If you’re good to me, I’ll be good to you.

The explosive consequence of grace is difficult to fully understand, let alone live out. God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. God’s people, who follow his way, lend to their enemies without ever expecting anything back. 

This is the radical basis of the Christian ethic. We do not endure those who persecute us; we do not tolerate those who curse us; we do not ignore the ones mistreating us. 

No. We do good to them, we bless them, we pray for them. 

The British theologian Luke Bretherton argues that tolerance is an Enlightenment virtue, born out of a desire to stop people harming one another. But Christianity is not built on tolerance. It is built on hospitality – the practice of genuine and generous love for the undeserving. 

Including your enemy.

Reflection Questions:

1. Pray for those who mistreat you – the Lord Jesus tells you to (Luke 6:28).

2. Who can you lend to this week without expecting anything back?