Love Is An Action Verb (Matthew 5:44-45)
Category : Blogpost
In Matthew 5:44-45, Jesus challenged the powers of his day by presenting them with a radically different way of relating to one another. He invited his listeners into relationships that weren’t directed by existing political structures. The kind of relationships Jesus preached about went beyond the letter of the law and promoted actions that transform, redeem, and create new life and new circumstances. In the context described by Jesus, love becomes an action verb. L-o-v-e becomes A-G-A-P-E — What we’re talking about here is Agape love.
Agape can be defined as selfless love of one person for another, especially love that is spiritual or divine in nature. Scripture tells us to love our neighbor as well as our enemies. Loving neighbors means treating all people with dignity and respect. Loving neighbors means looking for the good in people, not finding ways to diminish their character. Loving neighbors means building bridges, not building walls. It means providing for those who are troubled and caring for the sick. Loving neighbors means welcoming the stranger. When it comes to loving our neighbors, Jesus applies agape love to everyone, everywhere.
In Old Testament times, it may have been a simple matter to distinguish between enemies and friends. You were either part of the Jewish community or you were not. The circumstances are more complex in contemporary society. I pose this question to you: Is the real enemy a person, a group, a system, or an ideology? Is the enemy some character flaw that lies deep within each of us? Shall we blame those who suffer, or shall we do something to alleviate the suffering? You get the picture.