Leaning Into Luke

 

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.  If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.  Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again.  Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:27-31

I wonder who Jesus was looking at when he spoke these words about loving your friend-mies?  Of all the verses in scripture, Luke 6:27 is one of the most challenging.  It is one we quote at others, but I find these words so hard to embrace and embody in these days.  And if that wasn’t enough, which it is, Jesus goes on about blessing those who cure me; pray for those who abuse me; and turn the other check.  Why not just tell me to walk on water and then turn that water in wine!  The lofty language of scripture set the bar high for us to clear in our day-to-day lives.  We are intimately familiar with these words, but often leave them abandoned because they are so difficult to practice in our lives.

Maybe the point isn’t just to give us tasks to do that we can complete, but invitations that take a lifetime to explore.  Maybe the point isn’t that we have gain a doctorate degree in faith but that we are always learners and students.  Maybe the point is not that we reach a point where our haloes glow and glisten, but that we are always needing to grow.  Maybe the point isn’t that we get it at all because grace is never earned or deserved.  Grace is.

On my wall is this quote from Reinhold Niebuhr, ““Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope.  Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith.  Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we must be saved by love.  No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.”

May these words settle into your soul and sing to your life this day.  Amen.